Page 7 - CinemaRecord #84

Auditorium 1992 - prior to major renovations. Image: Les Tod
from buff through to browns and black. The scarlet. As a contrast, pale cream and grey bunker, is under the rake of the foyer
central stairway to the upper foyer utilized shadings were also used, as was the use of staircase in a semi basement. The
chrome balustrading mounted on black posts. stained timbers and doors. projection area is forced ventilated through
The foyer floor coverings were rubber, with a ducts to the towers on top of the façade.
central marble effect and black and red border The stage draperies were carried through in
lines. The ceiling panels were made of curtaining of orange and gold. The drop The Town Hall/Regent opened on 18
embossed glass. The foyers were lit with curtain was in tangerine velour. The September 1935 screening Mrs. Wiggs of
diffused light from standard pedestal fittings auditorium was designed to give acoustic the Cabbage Patch (Paramount) supported
of oriental design. properties as perfect as possible; the ceiling by Circus Clown, a Mickey Mouse cartoon
was made of sound absorbing material. An and a Fox Movietone Newsreel. Simplex
The main auditorium was entered to the left unusual feature of this building concerned the projectors and Western Electric sound had
and right hand sides of the main staircase. The location of the projection room. It was located been installed. The Regent became the
moderne design effects in the auditorium were on the ground floor, partly under the rakes of flagship of the burgeoning O’Halloran
achieved through the use of a series of vibrant the balcony and the central foyer staircase. Theatre Circuit. The administration and
colours, horizontal lines along the sidewalls The rewind room, reminiscent of a concrete buying for the circuit was moved to Swan
and part of the stage walls, and fins running
the full length of the ceiling. Extensive
symbolic grillework, incorporating swan
designs, cover a large part of the stage splayed
walls. The design of the auditorium was
intended to focus audience attention on the
stage. The bold colour scheme included the
use of strong colours such as terracotta,
various shadings of orange, port wine to

CINEMARECORD # 84 7