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A Day At The Theatre In 1952 by Noel Kerr

Last week J was readi11g through an old diary of mine that Puffing like mad and red in the face I made it up the stairs
f had found amongst a stack of old Buck Rogers comks. and into the :studio, in time. Don Baker and Arthur Lister
An entry. 3rd November. 1952 (my-birthday) brought a (with his rolled up newspaper which he dealt blows over
smile to my face and a reminder of how fanatical r was the heads of interjectors) announced they had my second
about going to the movies in my youth. favourite jazz band on the program the fabulous Frank
Johnston Dixielanders. Joy-0-Joy!
Allhe time I was in my 2nd year as an apprentice printer at
Osboldstone & Co. which was located at the rear of the Half way through the program they asked if anyone would
now demolished Scott's Hotel in Collins Street. Life there like a free ticket for that evenings performance of Tommy
was certainly not amongst my happiest memories due to Trinder at the Tivoli. Guess who shot his hand up and got
poor pay, training, treatment and constantly being called that ticket... ????????
"lad" by the owner who couldn't remember my name, or
didn't want to. I think all this was at the back of my mind 1 rang home to inform the folks that! wouldn't be home till
when I arrived at Flinders Street Station that morning at late, only to be told that the foreman had rang to see how I
7.45 am.
was. l felt sick in the stomach. It almost ruined going to
the Tiv. that night, almost!
lt was a nice sunny moming, it was my birthday, it was
Monday, and !just didn't feel like another boring put-down
What to do? 1 had almost two and a half hours to kill before
day at work. Damn it all, for the first time in my life I
the show started. A good stand by was always the
decided to have a sickie and spend the day at the movies.
Downytlake shop in Swanston Street opposite St. Pauls. I
The idea really excited me and after placing my Workers
never ceased to be fascinated by the automatic doughnut
Weekly ticket back in my wallet, I bought a copy of the
machine in the window. But even that only filled in ten
Sun to find out the program times.
minutes before the novelty started to wear off.
I then decided I had better ring work to report in sick.
I decided to purchase half a dozen of them and coupled
was then put straight onto the foreman who questioned me
with two potato cakes and a chicken roll, 1 headed down to
about the trams passing my house (ug!) I really don't think
another newsreel for 90 minutes.
he accepted my answer that 1 had to walk up the street for
medication at the chemist which was near the tram terminus.
I just had nice time to walk up to the Tivoli and climb the
The worst part over 1 decided to walk down to the Yarra never ending stairways for my seat in the "gods" (in the
River and read The Sun on the grassy bank. Hell. I had two Upper Circle) where my free pass offered me about the
and three quarter hours to fill in before I could see "Son of worst seat in the house. But did I enjoy being there. The
Paleface·· plus "Disbaned", at the Kings in Russell Street. magic of live theatre with constant scene changes and spe-
1 quickly chewed a couple of sandwiches from my brown cial effects taking one out of reality and into a fantasy world,
paper lunch bag before making my way into the city for a if only for a few hours, has never left me.
fill-in program at the Times Newsreel.
So T sat back on those hard padded seats with wooden arm
I made it out of there after watching the cartoon for the divisions and took it all in. I even found some of Tommy
second time, with just enough time to make it to the Kings. Trinder's jokes funny enough to laugh at.

The next selected film was "The Sound Barrier" plus "Road
lt was all over. On leaving the Tivoli I felt as though I had
to Canterbury", screening at the Regent. With half an hour
been goiJlg to the theatre for a week non stop. The real
to spare a wander through Coles for a cup of coffee seemed
world was not looking too good at the moment. Cross-eyed
a great idea .... as was the American "flap Jacks" that they
and tired I made my way home to face the music from my
made so well.'
parents and my boss the next day. This was not the best
part of my most enjoyable day.
I decided to play it big and shout myself to the best seat at
the Regent. Why, I even bought a Tex bar and a chocolate
My employer never knew it, but I made up my mind to do
coated marshmallow bar to celebrate my birthday.
this again once a year, around about the date of my birth-
day. And for the next three years r did just that, and did r
With the exception of the Times, T had never seen so few
folk at the movies before. r took it that daytime programs look forward to it. I think my conscience must have got to
didn't drawn a lot of folk to the theatTe. me after that, as eve11 though I was excited by the idea it
just never happened again .... pity!
l was a bit bleary-eyed Leaving the Regent at 4.30, but still
didn't feel like going home. ll struck me like a bullet that fn those three intervening years there was one mistake I
I just had time to shoot up to the 3AW Jive theatre in Russell never repeated. I always made sure I didn't report in sick
Street to see "Rumpus Time" broadcast live. froi:n a telephone box near a tram line.

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