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The Wonderland was a large
rectangular building constructed of
poured concrete with a gabled steel
roof. The single-storied frontage
included a central entrance flanked by
two shops. The decorative parapet
featured rendered concrete and some
brickwork arranged in horizontal and
vertical panels. The gabled end of the
auditorium had a Tudor look with
diamond-shaped glass windows in
strapped timber panels. The entrance
foyer included an octagonal-shaped
ticket box.
The auditorium doors were located
each side of the ticket box. The
auditorium was cavenous, fairly
unadorned with exposed trusses
supporting the roof. Between the piers ABOVE: Wonderland Theatre staff and Musicians pose in the foyer – 1925.
patterned panels were applied to the
side-walls topped by highlight windows
of diamond-shaped windows. These In 1928 Alex Thompson sent a
windows were also used on the back proposal to the HD to extend the stage
wall. The internal projection room was area in the Wonderland.
low set at the rear of the auditorium. By the 1930s the theatre had been
As was common in earlier theatres, a leased to M.C. Symonds. The first
flat floor was used to allow for multi- sound film The Idle Rich was screened
purpose use. in 1930.

BELOW: The capacity audience photographed on the opening night of the Wonderland Theatre.

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