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Odeondeon Kensington and we were able to go on stage to see the thea-
OdeonOdeon
and around the proscenium, inside which was a red curtain. The O
‘crystals’ jutted out from the side wall, were lit from behind and tre and the three levels of red seats, as well as the old Hoyts
must have been very difficult to keep clean. The auditorium was speaker boxes on the side walls.
easy to wander round, as the seats had yet to be put back and we
were able to gain access to the bio box, which it was explained was
the Australian term for the projection box. Over the exits we could
see the modern exit signs (black box with the word exit in green) as
well as old exit signs, where the word exit was in dark red glass on a
mosaic style panel of coloured glass. On our stunned way out we
were each given a postcard of the auditorium and one of the exte-
rior as a memento of our visit. We thanked the RMIT for these, as
well as for allowing us into their theatre even though they had a tight
schedule for preparing it for reopening and thought how lucky their
students were to have such a unique and amazing lecture theatre.
Around the corner
was the AthenaeumAthenaeum,
AthenaeumAthenaeum
which opened in
1886 and has the
double honour of
being both where the
first movie was
shown in Australia, in Her Majesty’s Theatreheatre
Her Majesty’s TheatreHer Majesty’s Theatre
Her Majesty’s T
1896, when the pre-
miere of reputedly After a break for lunch, we headed for Her Majesty’s TheatreHer Majesty’s Theatre, which
Her Majesty’s TheatreHer Majesty’s Theatre
Alexandria Theatre Alexandria Theatre
the world’s first fea- opened in 1886 as the Alexandria Theatre Alexandria Theatre on the site of an open-air
Hi
ture length film The Hippodromeppodrome. Destroyed by fire in 1929, the auditorium was remod-
HippodromeHippodrome
Story of the Kelly elled in Art Modèrne style and re-opened in 1934 as the New His New His
New His New His
Majesty’s TheatreMajesty’s Theatre
Gang was held, as Majesty’s T
Majesty’s Theatreheatre. It gained its current name in 1954 in honour of
well as being the first the new Queen. We were unable to go on stage and look out into the
theatre in Australia to impressive theatre with three levels of plush red seats as the stage
screen talkies (The was set for the NT’s production of An Inspector Calls.
Jazz Singer in 1929). An early finish to the day gave us some free time before we headed
In the foyer we met in a coach for a trip to a drive-in movie. This was a CTA visit first and
Phil, formerly a pro- A Athenaeum Theatrethenaeum Theatre was a first for the driver to be taking a coach in too! Our destination
Athenaeum TheatreAthenaeum Theatre
jectionist at the was the Lunar DriveLunar Drive--In 3 Theatre In 3 Theatre in Dandenong, one of two surviving
Lunar DriveLunar Drive--In 3 Theatre In 3 Theatre
drive-ins around Melbourne. It is the largest drive-in theatre operat-
ing in the southern hemi-
sphere with three screens
and accommodating 950 cars
on a 17 acre site. These days
the soundtrack of the film
being watched is transmitted
to the car’s FM radio. We
were all made most welcome
and were fed traditional drive-
in fare of hotdogs, lunar bur-
gers, popcorn, fizzy and hot
drinks as we watched which- Lunar 3Lunar 3
Lunar
Lunar 3 3 drive-in screen d
ever of the three movies
showing we fancied, the choices being Jarhead, Date Movie or Big
Momma’s House 2. After the movie we were driven back to our ho-
tel, tired but thrilled with our memorable “Night at the Drive-In”.
Ath
Athenaeum TheatreAthenaeum Theatre
Athenaeum Theatreenaeum Theatre auditorium
SATURDAY 18 FEBRUARY: A FREE DAY!ATURDAY 18 FEBRUARY: A FREE DAY!
S
SATURDAY 18 FEBRUARY: A FREE DAY!SATURDAY 18 FEBRUARY: A FREE DAY!
SUNDAY 19 FEBRUARY: CATHS MEETINGNDAY 19 FEBRUARY: CATHS MEETING
SUNDAY 19 FEBRUARY: CATHS MEETINGSUNDAY 19 FEBRUARY: CATHS MEETING
SU
We made an early start to catch a Connex train to Yarraville. From
the station platform we could see the St George’s HallSt George’s Hall, a sad-looking
St George’s HallSt George’s Hall
brick building, which opened as a cinema in 1910 and closed in
1958. However also to be seen from the station, was our destina-
tion, the Art Deco styled Sun TheatreSun Theatre, which opened in 1938 and is
Sun TheatreSun Theatre
accredited as being the first stadium designed cinema in Australia
with a parabolic floor. It closed in 1977 and remained boarded up
until 1995 when it was bought by Michael Smith. The theatre has
been marvellously renovated and turned into a four-screen suburban
cinema. In order to get away from the multiplex fashion of numbered
screens, the auditoria have been given names of local lost cinemas.
On our way through the foyer, we passed a framed collection of con-
gratulation telegrams sent to the theatre on opening from Norma
Shearer, Clark Gable and Myrna Loy, amongst others, as well as
three lovely art deco paintings.
The main auditorium, The GrandThe Grand, which was the original stalls and
The GrandThe Grand
proscenium area, contains 200 golden 1930s club seats, with plenty Sun Theatren Theatre Yarraville
Sun TheatreSun Theatre
Su
iv iv iv iv