Page 8 - CR

The End?

Kevin Adams provides a brief glimpse
into the history of a true survivor of the
Sydney cinema scene.

n the border of the inner suburbs The theatre was renovated in 1920
Oof Paddington and Darlighurst, when it came under the control of
Wests Olympia Theatre was Union Theatres who in the mid 1930’s
constructed on the site of Marshalls carried out a major modernisation of
Brewery by T.J Wests Pictures who the venue as “New Wests” which
were busy establishing a chain of included a new plaster proscenium,
picture-theatres throughout Australia. walls, ceiling, carpets and lighting.
The huge auditorium seated some In alignment with their other
2500 patrons over two levels and often suburban locations, in 1954 the theatre
boasted “The largest screen in was again renovated and renamed “The
Sydney”. Boxing Night 1911 saw Odeon” and continued as such until
Wests Olympia open to the public with closure in 1961 when it was stripped of
the silent feature film “The Power of fittings and equipment and building
Love”. eventually sold.
Greek films were then screened by
the Mr. Chris Luis of the Luis Film
Company until 1969, when under lease,
the theatre re-emerged as the
alternative/cult/rock film venue “The
Mandala Cinema”.
The somewhat run-down Mandala
closed in 1972 and the huge auditorium
was gutted and a modern twin cinema
built into the space.

8 2010 CINEMARECORD