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The main foyer. Notice the clock set in the floor. Notice that the doors to the stalls introduce a Spanish look.
The expanse of pressed 1999 chairs in the stalls and a further summed it up: ‘A flapper’s dream,
cement wall was 1372 in the circle. The walls were like compounded of all she has picked up
broken with ornate those of a fantastic Italian garden of art and beauty from an exclusive
windows, balconies dotted with plaster temples, study of the goods the vast pink palace
and towers and reproduction statues of naked gods has been built to provide. Therefore the
studded with hundreds and goddesses and imitation greenery. architecture is thoroughly appropriate.
of electric lights. At Marble doves perched in cypress Nothing could be more apt.’ The total
night the building trees. There was a balcony ‘modelled cost was £5,000,000 of which £50,000
glowed and twinkled. on the Doge’s Palace in Venice.’ was spent on the interior.
The main entrance Above, the huge cerulean arc of the The State was Union Theatres’
doors on Flinders ceiling represented the sky at night. Melbourne showplace, linked by style
Street led to a broad Electric stars twinkled, and projected to the Perth Ambassadors and the
foyer with a central clouds drifted across it. Sydney Capitol (both 1928) as the
ticket cubicle and an A Venetian style proscenium framed only ‘atmospherics’ in a chain of
illuminated clock set a large stage capable of accommodating ornate first- run houses. Australia was
into the floor. Off the elaborate ‘live’ presentations. At either booming. Thousands of people went to
foyer were the main side were the Wurlitzer organ consoles the pictures every week – and many
‘retiring rooms.’ The which cost £25,000, one of very few went more than once. Apart from the
College Room for dual installations in the world. The large, luxurious city houses, there were
gentlemen was consoles could be raised, lowered and many less pretentious city cinemas
furnished in oak and rotated on their pedestals, and a screening the less exalted films, and
featured on its panelled walls the crests bewildering variety of special effects dozens of second-run and third-run
of Melbourne’s public schools; the could be conjured from the battery of theatres spread across the suburbs and
ladies’ Pompadour Room was pipes hidden under the stage. Between the country. The various exhibitor
reminiscent of the extravagance of the consoles was an orchestra platform chains were linked with particular
Versailles. which could also be raised and lowered. studios. Union Theatres had access,
From the foyer, twin marble Beneath the stage were dressing but not exclusive access, to films from
staircases led to the circle lobby and rooms, ballet and orchestra assembly Paramount, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
entrances. The foyer and the rooms and the machinery which Universal and Warner Bros. and was
auditorium were in Florentine style. circulated heated or cooled air involved in local film production
The auditorium was a vast sea of throughout the theatre. The Bulletin through Australasian Films, later to
become Cinesound Productions.

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