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My Fair Lady opened the new look Theatre
Royal with a gala charity premiere on
21 April 1965. The opening had been preceded
by an extensive publicity campaign and tie-in
with local businesses. Beauty experts were
brought in for the promotion, the Cecil Beaton
costumes paraded, 25,000 brochures sent out,
television and radio advertising, and even an
Easter Bonnet competition. The film ran for a
record 60 weeks in Perth.
In March 1968, the Theatre Royal screened
the classic Gone With the Wind in 70 mm and,
according to a trade directory, resulting in
“phenomenal figures”

Notwithstanding this and the extensive
remodelling, by the 1970s the future of many
of the city cinemas looked bleak, including the
Theatre Royal. It was sold in 1978 to a
consortium and screened its final film on
9 February 1978.

The auditorium and vestibule were converted
into shops and offices, but the huge
monumental façade was barely touched. This
was not quite the end of the Theatre Royal’s
Capacity crowd outside the Theatre Royal
very chequered history, though. Hoyts had built
The Sunday Times reported: used throughout the auditorium. The stage had a new cinema on the first floor of the adjacent
been enlarged and the main house curtain was Wanamba Arcade (ironically, the site of the
“PERTH’S NEW LUXURY THEATRE – in a wine shade. former Ambassadors Theatre). They then
ROYAL OPENS ON FRIDAY twinned this large cinema, which was known
The Royal, oldest theatre in Perth, has seen The opening feature on 22 September 1939 was as Hoyts Cinema 2 because Hoyts Cinema 1
numerous changes in its chequered career. The a British film, The Sun Never Sets. was located above the City Arcade almost
theatre has greatly changed in the passing of opposite. Deciding that it wished a third
years, due to numerous attempts of a temporary The theatre was closed for ten weeks, but it was cinema, a hole was punched through the wall
nature aimed at adapting the building to the said that the bio box remained one of the worst into the former lounge foyer of the Theatre
progressive ends of the picture industry. The in Perth, having originally been a spotting box Royal, and Cinema 4 was built there.
recent campaign of theatre modernising and for live shows. With two projectors and
rebuilding Perth left the Royal far behind as ancillary equipment, there was little room for Just to complicate matters for patrons and
an entertainment house. the operator, but the 1939 renovations had future historians, Cinema 1 closed when Hoyts
created problems with the light beam and it was acquired Cinema City with its four screens
“The removal of six columns in the stalls of the too late to change the re-construction of the further up Hay Street. These retained their
theatre was made possible by single span steel dress circle. A periscope was not an option, so numbering 1-4, which meant the cinemas in the
girders incorporated in the rebuilding of the the projectionists had to sit on a stool next to Wanamba Arcade and Theatre Royal foyer,
dress circle. The spacing of seats throughout the projector, bringing one side of their face by now known as Hoyts Centre, had to be
the stalls and dress circle has been increased right beside the carbon arc, which caused skin renumbered as cinemas 5, 6 and 7 (the latter
to give greater comfort to patrons. The irritations and even cancer. being in the Royal).
architects found that by eliminating one flight
of stairs to the dress circle and increasing the In 1954, the Royal was sold by the estate of the In other words, Hoyts Cinema 4 inside the
other, together with the re-arrangement of exits late T G Molloy to Town and Suburban Theatre Royal lounge foyer, became Hoyts
throughout the building, it was possible to Properties, a subsidiary of the Grand Theatre Cinema 7. The original Cinema 1 in the City
largely increase the size of the foyer, which now Company, which later was named City Arcade had closed. By this time, patrons must
forms a distinct attraction in its spaciousness Theatres, controlling the Piccadilly, Grand have been wandering all over Perth in
and striking treatment, featuring three and Theatre Royal. confusion trying to work out where Hoyts was,
enormous stainless steel columns. Other and what its cinema numbering was also.
distinct features of the new foyer are its In 1965, the Theatre Royal closed yet again
polished flush veneer stair balustrading and for conversion into a long run 70 mm house. Hoyts eventually closed these cinemas, and
the extensive use of large mirrored sections. City Theatres announced that the today the Theatre Royal is retail and offices.
reconstruction would cost £50,000 and Its very chequered career as cinema and theatre
“The bright colours and striking pattern of the transform the theatre from an 1100 seat is all but forgotten, but it remains with its
new carpeting form the keynote of the colour capacity to an intimate showcase of 970 seats. massive classical façade still dominating that
scheme throughout the building, insofar as a The existing 25 ft wide stage in front of the part of Hay Street Mall, and in doing so is a
cheerful colour scheme has been adopted, the screen was dismantled, to be replaced by a new reminder of the long and fabulous history of
treatment of the foyer walls being very novel in 40 ft wide 70 mm screen. The Royal was to be this important Perth theatre. ★
this respect. Vast changes are also apparent in given a floating ceiling and 500 yards of gold
the main entrance vestibule, where beams and curtain imported from America to wrap around
piers have been eliminated.” the screen. A new ticket box was built and Credits:
placed in the modernised foyer, and a new bio
But the auditorium also underwent massive box constructed, much to the relief of the State Library of Western Australia, Battye Library.
changes, including the proscenium. The sliding projectionists. The nine ton girder supporting
roof had been retained and air conditioning the gallery was removed by sawing it into Images:
installed. The sides and roof were carried out pieces and lowering them to the stalls for
in a modernist style, with tonings of grey-blue, removal. CATHS Archive
cream and salmon, with indirect neon lighting State Library of Western Australia

28 CINEMARECORD # 96