Page 8 - CR

FIERY

FINALE

Report by
Kevin Adams

he remote NSW town of Condobolin was shocked by a fierce overnight blaze that razed the former Renown Theatre on
TJanuary 7, 2012. Two people were seen running from the scene and police determined that the fire was deliberately lit.

Lachlan Shire Council had recently served an order on the Sydney based owners requiring them to control the vermin within
(pigeons), repair, maintain and secure the badly dilapidated property. After the fire, council found that the structure was also
contaminated with friable asbestos. Little remained standing and after failed attempts to have the owner clear the dangerous ruin,
council purchased the property so that clearing could begin. A new medical centre has been proposed for the location.

The theatre had an interesting history
that dated back to 1914 when a Mr
Bassett opened it as the Grand
Central Hall. It could seat around
1000 people with a further 150 in
the adjoining supper room. Stage and
dressing rooms were provided for
theatrical presentations and the hall
was used extensively for receptions,
balls, concerts, roller-skating – and
pictures shows.

The popularity of the latter saw it develop
into the Central Theatre – operated
in the 1920s by George, Leo and Nick
Spellson (who also operated a show at
the Tolhurst Hall in Bogan Gate).

Along with Condobolin’s open-air
Aussie Theatre, the Central was taken
over in 1946 by Emmanuel Fatseas and
was renamed the Renown in 1955. The
Aussie was demolished in 1967 after its
license was surrendered in 1966.

The Renown then came under the
control of Fatseas Enterprises Pty.
Ltd. in 1967, shortly before Emmanuel
Fatseas passed away in 1968. The
theatre was then left to Emmanuel’s
two sons, who continued to run the
business through the difficult years of
television, finally succumbing to the
home-video boom of the 1980s.

After closure, the building had
a number of uses including a
restaurant, video store and take-away
food shop. All had been long closed
prior to the January 7 fire. Sadly,
local interest in turning the Renown
into a community theatre/arts
centre also dashed by the flames. +

8 2012 CINEMAREC ORD