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The Dendy Theatre, Brighton - As I Remember It

by Eric Reed

pening in 1939 at 26 Church Street
OBrighton, the Dendy Theatre was
designed by the architectural firm Cowper,
Murphy and Appleford. The theatre took its
name from the founder of Brighton – Henry
Dendy. I don't know who built it but, when I
first became a regular patron, it was privately
owned by the Ward family, who had
previously operated the tiny Prince George
theatre at the other end of the shopping centre.
The family home was in Well St. immediately
behind the new theatre, which was very
convenient. The Dendy stood alone, with
vacant land on the left and private houses on
the right which were later demolished and
replaced with shops.
It was not particularly large (seating about The two-level auditorium occupied the entire either side of the stage. A row of what I used
1500) and has been described by some as length of the building, with the entry foyer to think of as “flower pots with lights in” (I
“plain and ordinary”, a description that is space across the front and the circle foyer was only 12 years old) ran around the sides at
somewhat unfair, as I don't believe the Dendy running down the left side. All the lighting the point where the ceiling curved down to
was ever intended to be over the top. Designed was indirect and the walls and ceilings were meet the walls. Large, stylised flowers in
in what I believe is the “Art Deco Moderne” painted in soft tones of beige, blue and green fibrous plaster decorated the walls and ceiling
style that was popular at the time, the main that enhanced the soft and cosy ambience. in groups of two and three. It looked a bit like
entrance and all the corridors and stairways a wedding cake turned inside out. At the rear
were rounded to gently guide you in the right If you were lucky enough to have tickets for of the stalls was a glass-fronted crying room
direction. The floor of the entrance foyer was “upstairs” (which was like going up to which was in great demand during the baby
of terrazzo and featured a large geometric heaven) you would climb the wide staircase boom years.
pattern that included the intertwined letters that wound around in an almost complete
"DT". That floor is still there, but is covered circle up to the balcony foyer. After being The stage was moderately wide and was fitted
by the black floor tiles at the entrance to greeted and having your ticket torn by with two sets of travelling curtains. The main
Dendy Plaza. Mr. Ward himself, you entered the auditorium one was of grey or dark green crushed velvet
which was softly lit by plain white trough and looked very heavy as it parted and slid
The box office was under the stairs leading up lighting. Not just one trough; there were seven slowly and silently into the wings. Sometimes
to the balcony. The candy bar was on the of them. The ceiling trough stretched down it would billow out over the footlights and, as
opposite side of the foyer and also had large the entire length of the theatre, with smaller a child, I used to think there must have been
doors that opened onto Church Street. vertical ones recessed into the walls and on special air jets in the stage to create this effect.
The screen curtains were of white silk and had
their own set of air jets. I realise now of
course, that there were no air jets. It was
caused by a draught coming through the
backstage doors and windows.

After the Val Morgan and Coming Attraction
slides were shown, the two sets of curtains
would close and the presentation routine
would begin. First, the lighting troughs would
begin to fade and then change colour to red or
blue. The side troughs were controlled
independently of the main one and were able
to have different colours. Then the flowers
would light up in all the colours of the
rainbow. Combined with the multi-coloured
lighting in the stage footlights and borders, the
effect was truly magical. The lights remained
in this state through the cartoon and newsreel
and would gently fade out as the supporting
feature began.

16 CINEMARECORD # 93