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Ambassadors Theatre Perth

by Graeme McBain

tuart Doyle, smaller scale. The location of the theatre was Bert Howell
SM a n a g i n g 629 Hay Street, Perth and it opened on led the
Director of Union 29 September 1928 with 1993 seats, the orchestra, the
Theatres, arrived smallest of the three. members of
home from an which were
extensive tour of Surprisingly, the first screening was advertised dressed in
theatres in the as being at 9.00 am, with the doors opening at b l a c k
United States with 8.30. The opening ceremony was to be trousers and
architect Henry White on 2 June 1927 and performed by the Hon. Philip Collier, MLA, blue velvet
announced soon after that the Capitol Theatre Premier of Western Australia at the 8 pm jackets. The
was to be built in Sydney. It was announced in session. b a l l e t
the press on 3 July 1927 that Perth would also mistress was
get an atmospheric theatre to be called the The opening night advertising occupied a full E s t e l l e
Ambassadors. During his time in America, he column in The West Australian. The virtues of Anderson.
met John Eberson and was shown around a the new theatre were extolled with phrases like
number of his theatres in the atmospheric style "Australia's Wonder Theatre" and “Australia's Descriptions from the opening night went
and was very impressed by the design of the Greatest Theatre". The advertising also stated something like this: “Ascending the grand
Riviera Theatre in Omaha Nebraska. "Intervals Eliminated". It went on to say “the stairway catching the eye was the atmospheric
usual ‘dead’ interval, so boring at other sky which created a wonderful effect. The stars
The architectural firm of Bohringer, Taylor and theatres will be eliminated, instead Les twinkled too and fleecy white clouds drifted
Johnson was selected for the design of the Waldron will feature operatic excerpts [on the across the sky. When the theatre was darkened,
Ambassadors. Bohringer arrived in Perth on Wurlitzer organ]”. the statues immediately above the proscenium
8 February 1928 to commence work on this were seen silhouetted against a deep crimson
new project which would take the form of a The opening attraction was the silent Warner glow.”
Florentine garden. In fact, the auditorium Brothers film Glorious Betsy starring Delores
would be very similar in design to the Capitol Costello and Conrad Nagel, the support feature Three weeks after the theatre opened, it was
Sydney and the State Melbourne except on a was Honeymoon Hate from Paramount Studios. observed that some members of the audience
found it difficult to keep their eyes on the
Below: The magnificent façade c. 1930 Image: State Library of Western Australia screen, instead admiring the surroundings, the

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