Page 17 - CinemaRecord #82

BARCLAY

What the public saw was a modern rendition of
the best in cinema design: spacious foyers and
walkways, a compact two-level auditorium
with perfect sightlines from comfortable seats.
No memorable feature in ceiling or walls
intruded on this harmonious setting.
Understatement was the rule. If the design
had a fault, it was the fault of playing safe: the
interior was bland.
Significantly, the space available to the
architects was utilized to visually enhance
proportion and a patron’s ease of movement,
not numbers of seats (950). No single-screen
built in Melbourne in later years attempted
this synthesis of cinema aesthetic with modern
comfort.

The theatre was the personal project of Sir
Norman B. Rydge, the chairman of Greater
Union Theatres. Incorporated in the design was
an apartment for his use when in Melbourne.
The name was a tribute by Sir Norman to
his wife. ‘Barclay’ was Lady Rydge’s family
name, and the flowing script of the logo was
said to resemble her handwriting.

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