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Travelling Show.

The Royal Andeluvian Order of Buffaloes In the last 13 years improvements have
(ROAB) purchased the theatre around 1947 continued with the stage being restumped
for use as a meeting hall. and the interior repainted by the members.
The original stencilling has been recreated
From the late 1950s to 1965 the Bijou served on the beams. Editors Note:
as the town cinema and boasted deck-chair Since the closure of the Bijou as a cinema, both
seating for the more fortunate patrons. In 1996, the Bijou Theatre celebrated its drive-in theatres have now also been long closed.
They were followed by a cinema in the Civic
Centenary Year with a locally written production Centre, which in turn has given way to the Fenwick
The opening of not one, but two (Esperence called Merry Moments. Well known local 3 Cinema Complex that now serves the town.
and Pink-Lake) Drive-In Theatres and actor Raleaigh Sellars, played the role of E.J.
the increased use of the RSL Hall, saw the McCarthy in a show which highlighted some of
demise of the Bijou as a cinema. the many shows performed at the Bijou over its BELOW: The Bijou today.
first hundred years.
1982. The years 1997-1999 saw another
extensive building programme, with the
addition of the Petite Bijou room on
the north side of the building (during
the construction of which, one of the
original brass oil lamps was unearthed
when preparing the foundations), a store
room on the south side, and the complete
refacing of the front of the building.

For the first time in 70 years the Bijou was It is certain that the Bijou (little gem, jewel,
idle except for the occasional RAOB meeting something precious) will continue to be vital
or social function. to Esperance in the future as it has been in
the past.
In 1971 the Esperance Theatre Guild saw in the
Bijou an ideal venue to lease and subsequently The Bijou Theatre was formally
purchase where they could stage their plays included on the State Register of
and house their growing collection of scenery, Heritage Places by the Hon GM
costumes and properties. At this time the (John) Castrilli MLA, Minister for
Guild was staging four shows a year and had a Heritage, on 21st October 2011. H
growing membership of over sixty.

Improvements and renovations included
re-roofing the entire building, extending
the stage to its present size, construction of
a scene dock and the installation of tiered
seating. A foyer was crested and the former
dress-circle became the home of light and
sound equipment.
The official re-opening of the Bijou Theatre
took place on October 21, 1971 with the
production of Noel Coward’s three-act
comedy Blithe Spirit. From that date until
the present the Bijou has welcomed many
visiting companies and been used by several
local cultural groups.
An extensive voluntary work programme
over six months in 1986 saw the addition of
a costume room, kitchen/workroom, indoor
toilets and a new stage wing.

CINEM AREC ORD 2012 33