Page 7 - CinemaRecord #87
P. 7

The  whole  is  tastefully  treated  in  tuneful
                                                                                colours….
                                                                                “The electrically operated curtain is of a royal
                                                                                blue  and  gold  setting,  tapestries  of  which
                                                                                harmonise with the pleasing surroundings…”
                                                                                The Newcastle Sun reported of the opening:

                                                                                THE NEW REGENT
                                                                                     HERBERT’S THEATRE OPENING

                                                                                “Herbert’s  new Regent  Theatre  will  be
                                                                                officially opened by Alderman Young, Mayor
                                                                                of  Wickham,  next  Monday  night.  The  new
                                                                                building stands on the site of the old theatre …
                                                                                and is fitted with all the latest luxuries of a
                                                                                modern show house…. The theatre has a very
                                                                                imposing aspect and has greatly added to the
                                                                                appearance  of  the  portion  of  the  street  on
                                                                                which  it  stands….  Mr  Herbert  had  struck  a
                                                                                very distinctive note in the theatre furnishings.
                                                                                The front circle chairs, which are wide and
                                                                                upholstered in rich figured material, give every
                                                                                element of comfort…
                                                                                “The whole theatre, both interior and exterior,
                                                                                has been treated with classical effects, which
             Above: The proscenium and auditorium c. 1950, and below during the CATHS visit in 2015.
                                                                                are very spectacular and give the necessary
        Civic  Theatre  in  the  city  proper,  the                             dignity to the building…”
        Newcastle Herald reported:          “Access to the dress circle is gained from the
                                            vestibule by an easy flight of stairs, done out  And the Herald, on the actual opening night
        THE NEW REGENT –                    in  grey  terrazzo.    The  floor  of  the  circle  is  NEW REGENT – THE OFFICIAL OPENING
                       IMPOSING BUILDING    terraced, following a radius struck from the  “Great  crowds  thronged  Herbert’s  new
        HERBERT’S NEW THEATRE               centre of the screen… The seating is laid out  Regent Theatre … So great was the crush to
                                            to   seat   1600   persons,   including  gain a seat that the police had to control the
        “For  as  long  as  many  readers  will  care  to  accommodation for 540 in the dress circle...”  crowds and the doors had to be closed to stem
        remember,  there  stood  on  the  corner  of  “The  ceiling  is  of  a  distinctive  design  of  a  the rush.  Thus the theatre was quickly filled.
        Beaumont-street and Maitland-road a prosaic  coved  formation,  set  out  in  rather  massive  …
        – and in recent years – rather drab building  mock beams with ornamental fibrous plaster  The  Mayor  of  Wickham  considered  it  a
        which,  for  years  served  as  a  place  of  and  pierced  pattern  panels,  diminishing  privilege to perform the opening ceremony of
        entertainment to the motion picture enthusiasts  towards  the  proscenium  …  The  proscenium  such a magnificent theatre. He congratulated
        of Islington and the surrounding districts…  presents a very refined and stately setting with  Mr  Herbert  on  his  enterprise  in  building  a
        “The Regent, which has a frontage of 85 ft to  its massive fluted columns, exhibiting a very  theatre  which  the  Mayor  said  compared
        Maitland-road  …  bears  a  quiet,  dignified  neat and complete presentation of the Grecian  favourably with any in the Newcastle district
        appearance,  expressive  of  quality  in  itself.  Ionic  order  of  architecture.    The  elliptical
        Following the latest custom, the vestibule is  arch, which is sprung from its entablature, has  “… Mr Herbert said no doubt many of those
        shielded from noise, wind and dust by three  the crown worked out in an artistic system of  present  knew  the  history  of  the  Islington
        groups  of  Queensland  maple  folding  plate  perforated filigree work, with an appropriate  theatre.  Almost twenty years ago, on the piece
        glass  doors,  which  follow  the  radius  of  the  centre  ornament  in  the  form  of  that  ancient  of ground where the new Regent is erected,
        rounded  corner  of  the  building  in  a  setting  musical instrument, the lyre.  Set in panels on  there was a time when he had to depend upon
        between  massive  ornamental  columns.    The  either side are two large flower vases, which  the weather before he could show pictures.
        effect is very imposing and adds to the dignity  complete the appearance of a dignified setting.  Now he had probably one of the nicest theatres
        of an important street corner.                                          in the Newcastle district.
        “The  façade  is  boldly  treated  in  a  classical
        manner, featuring the complete roman Tuscan
        order of architecture.  It has cement facing,
        with a dark brick relief which will gain in effect
        from  the  flood  lighting  at  night.    A  large
        electric  sign,  displaying  the  rising  sun
        formation, which is mounted on the parapet
        above the entrance, will serve as a prominent
        landmark…
        “The  interior  of  the  auditorium  presents  a
        distinctly charming and rich tone, suggesting
        comfort and spaciousness from all quarters…
        Considerable attention has been given to the
        film projection on to the screen, and evidence
        here presents itself of the desire to originate
        rather than to imitate.  The projection room,
        with  all  its  heat,  noise,  glare  etc,  has  been
        placed on the ground floor, completely away
        from  the  audience.    The  main  advantage
        gained by the departure is the elimination of
        distortion on the screen by the avoidance of
        steep projections.


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