Page 14 - CinemaRecord #87

Robert Parkinson
n 7 November 1914, readers of the appearing on cinema screens in the film to his investment. Large numbers of theatre-goers
OSydney Morning Herald might have horrified astonishment but to the great attended performances in late 1916 and early
noticed a small item under "Amusements." It amusement of his friends. The operetta was 1917 despite the war having lasted over two
reported that the London theatrical profession light, sparkling and well-dressed with a wealth years at that point.
was indignant because an army officer had of attractive music which amused enthusiastic
complained that the musical comedy, The audiences everywhere. Musical items were The Cinema Star was presented by
Chocolate Soldier had been revived at the also advertised separately to the music-loving J.C. Williamsons’ Royal Comic Opera
Lyric Theatre and The Cinema Star was public. Company at Melbourne's Her Majesty's
playing at the Shaftesbury with part profits Theatre from Saturday 7 October 1916 until
going to an enemy country since Britain had it moved to Sydney's Her Majesty's on
gone to war with Germany in August of that 23 December 1916, then Brisbane's His
year, and the composers were Austrian and Majesty's Theatre on 24 April 1917, and
German respectively, viz. Oscar Straus and finally Adelaide's Theatre Royal on 19 May
Jean Gilbert (real name Max Winterfeld). 1917.

Gilbert was born in Hamburg on 11 February Readers might be interested to know that the
1879 and became one of the most successful following Melbourne picture theatres
composers for the German musical stage, advertised in The Age when The Cinema Star
winning enormous world-wide popularity until came to town — Hoyts Olympia de Luxe,
World War I intervened. Die Kino-Konigen Majestic, Kings, Paramount, West's and
(approximate translation "The Cinema Glenferrie Theatre. Vaudeville and comedy
Queen"), a 3-act operetta, had its first were playing at the Bijou, Princess, Theatre
performance at the Deutsches Royal and Tivoli.
Operettentheatre, Hamburg on 22 November
1912. The farcical plot involved a social Readers might also be wondering about the
reformer mistaking a film star for the Russian names of the Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane
princess she plays in a film. He secures an theatres where The Cinema Star appeared.
introduction, joins rehearsals and finds himself Melbourne's Alexandra Theatre was opened
in 1886 in Exhibition Street, named after
Princess Alexandra, wife of the future King
Jean Gilbert (1879 - 1942) Source: Wikipedia Edward VII. In 1900, J.C. Williamson took
In January 1914, the operetta was produced in over the theatre, and renamed it Her Majesty’s
the United States under the title The Queen of in honour of Queen Victoria. After Queen
the Movies, with a try-out at Washington's Victoria’s death in 1901, the theatre retained
Columbia Theatre before transferring to New its name until 1924, when it was renamed His
York's Globe. The London premiere took Majesty’s in honour of King George V. The
place on 4 June 1914 at the Shaftesbury name reverted to Her Majesty’s in 1953
Theatre where the title now appeared as The following the coronation of Queen Elizabeth
Cinema Star. Following Britain's declaration II, and is still in operation today.
of war on Germany in August 1914, anti-
German sentiment forced closure of the show Sydney's Her Majesty's, also named after
after 109 performances, although it continued Queen Victoria opened in 1887 on the corner
to play in the provinces. of Pitt and Market Streets. The site is now
occupied by the Centrepoint shopping centre
Australia seems to have had no qualms about A later Her Majesty's (the renamed Empire)
the show's origins, which were probably not stood in Quay Street, but has been demolished
advertised by promoters to protect their for residential units.

Above: Advertisement “Brisbane Courier”
14 April 1917, page 2 Adelaide’s Theatre Royal

14 CINEMARECORD # 87