Palais Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Palais Theatre is a former cinema, now functioning exclusively as a concert venue, located in St Kilda, Victoria
, Australia
. With a capacity of 2,896 people, it is the largest seated theatre in Australia.
The building, which retains many of its original features, is considered one of the finest examples of Art deco
architecture in Australia and is on the Victorian Heritage Register
. In 2006, the City of Port Phillip
, which owns the site, called for tenders by private operators to restore the theatre, as part of the proposed redevelopment of the Triangle Site. However, the redevelopment failed to go ahead and the planned $20 million restoration of the Palais was also abandoned.
, the Palais de Danse, already on the current site, became Palais Pictures. In 1919, a steel-framed, arched truss structure was built over the old dance-hall and the Palais de Danse was relocated next door, to the north. The Palais de Danse was later destroyed by fire.
In 1922, architect Walter Burley Griffin
began designing a remodeled Palais Pictures. Construction of Griffin's plans began in 1925, but a fire engulfed the stage in February of the following year, just before completion, bringing work to a halt. When Griffin moved on to Sydney, the developers commissioned a new architect, Henry E. White, to build a larger, more grand theatre.
Built in 1927 to the design of White as a dual purpose cinema and live entertainment center which was capable of presenting major stage shows, the Palais is situated by Port Phillip Bay, facing the Lower Esplanade, and is part of a turn-of-the-century entertainment district. It was originally owned by the Phillips brothers, three American showmen from Washington (state), who came to Australia prior to the First World War.
Upon arriving in Australia, Herman , the eldest brother, joined forces with fellow American J.D (James Dixon) Williams. After establishing a number of comparatively upmarket and highly successful cinemas in Melbourne and Sydney, the pair moved into the area of outdoor amusements with the construction of Luna Park at St. Kilda in 1912. Williams eventually returned to the US where he became a key figure in the film industry as co-founder of First National Pictures, a distribution and production company which was later acquired by Warner Bros. The Phillips also had a significant business interest in the Capitol Theatre, another former picture palace, which still stands in Swanston Street, Melbourne
.
When the last of the Phillips died in 1957, the Palais, Palais de Danse and Luna Park were sold to local entrepreneurs in Melbourne. A brass plaque, still in place on the second level of the Palais, bears a tribute to Leon Phillips from members of the American community of Victoria. The theatre, which had operated primarily as a cinema until the 1950s, became increasingly popular as a live performance venue for top overseas stars such as Johnnie Ray
, Bob Hope
, the Rolling Stones, Tom Jones
and many others.
In the 1970s, it regularly presented ballets including The Bolshoi
, The Kirov, Stars of World Ballet and The Australian Ballet. The Australian Ballet also had some of their ballets premiered there including Anne Woolliams' production of Swan Lake
on 19 October 1977, and its first commissioned Nutcracker
choreographed by Leonid Kozlov
and Valentina Kozlova on 8 October 1982.
Since 2007 the venue has been run by Palais Theatre Management Pty Ltd. It now hosts around one hundred events and performances a year and has an ongoing program of restoration and repairs. In 2010 Palais Theatre Management won the City of Port Phillip Business of the Year award.
architecture with twin dome towers, a theme shared by many surrounding buildings in the suburb, including Luna Park
, which is adjacent to the south, the St Kilda Pavilion
, St Kilda Sea Baths and Walter Burley Griffin
's Palais de Danse, which stood adjacent to the west before being destroyed by fire.
The exteriors also feature faux Egyptian
elements, whilst the interiors also include Baroque
inspired elements.
St Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. With a capacity of 2,896 people, it is the largest seated theatre in Australia.
The building, which retains many of its original features, is considered one of the finest examples of Art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
architecture in Australia and is on the Victorian Heritage Register
Victorian Heritage Register
The Victorian Heritage Register lists places of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, Australia. It has statutory weight under the Heritage Act 1995 which establishes Heritage Victoria as the permit authority...
. In 2006, the City of Port Phillip
City of Port Phillip
The City of Port Phillip is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located on the northern shores of Port Phillip, south of Melbourne's central business district. It has an area of 20.62 km² and has an estimated population of 96,110 people....
, which owns the site, called for tenders by private operators to restore the theatre, as part of the proposed redevelopment of the Triangle Site. However, the redevelopment failed to go ahead and the planned $20 million restoration of the Palais was also abandoned.
History
There have been several theatres named "Palais" in St Kilda, the first of which opened in 1914. At the end of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Palais de Danse, already on the current site, became Palais Pictures. In 1919, a steel-framed, arched truss structure was built over the old dance-hall and the Palais de Danse was relocated next door, to the north. The Palais de Danse was later destroyed by fire.
In 1922, architect Walter Burley Griffin
Walter Burley Griffin
Walter Burley Griffin was an American architect and landscape architect, who is best known for his role in designing Canberra, Australia's capital city...
began designing a remodeled Palais Pictures. Construction of Griffin's plans began in 1925, but a fire engulfed the stage in February of the following year, just before completion, bringing work to a halt. When Griffin moved on to Sydney, the developers commissioned a new architect, Henry E. White, to build a larger, more grand theatre.
Built in 1927 to the design of White as a dual purpose cinema and live entertainment center which was capable of presenting major stage shows, the Palais is situated by Port Phillip Bay, facing the Lower Esplanade, and is part of a turn-of-the-century entertainment district. It was originally owned by the Phillips brothers, three American showmen from Washington (state), who came to Australia prior to the First World War.
Upon arriving in Australia, Herman , the eldest brother, joined forces with fellow American J.D (James Dixon) Williams. After establishing a number of comparatively upmarket and highly successful cinemas in Melbourne and Sydney, the pair moved into the area of outdoor amusements with the construction of Luna Park at St. Kilda in 1912. Williams eventually returned to the US where he became a key figure in the film industry as co-founder of First National Pictures, a distribution and production company which was later acquired by Warner Bros. The Phillips also had a significant business interest in the Capitol Theatre, another former picture palace, which still stands in Swanston Street, Melbourne
Swanston Street, Melbourne
Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. It is historically one of the main streets of central Melbourne, laid out in 1837 as part of the Hoddle Grid, the layout of major streets that makes up the central business district...
.
When the last of the Phillips died in 1957, the Palais, Palais de Danse and Luna Park were sold to local entrepreneurs in Melbourne. A brass plaque, still in place on the second level of the Palais, bears a tribute to Leon Phillips from members of the American community of Victoria. The theatre, which had operated primarily as a cinema until the 1950s, became increasingly popular as a live performance venue for top overseas stars such as Johnnie Ray
Johnnie Ray
Johnnie Ray was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Popular for most of the 1950s, Ray has been cited by critics as a major precursor of what would become rock and roll, for his jazz and blues-influenced music and his animated stage personality.-Early life:John Alvin Ray was born in...
, Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
, the Rolling Stones, Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
and many others.
In the 1970s, it regularly presented ballets including The Bolshoi
Bolshoi Theatre
The Bolshoi Theatre is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds performances of ballet and opera. The Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera are amongst the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world...
, The Kirov, Stars of World Ballet and The Australian Ballet. The Australian Ballet also had some of their ballets premiered there including Anne Woolliams' production of Swan Lake
Swan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
on 19 October 1977, and its first commissioned Nutcracker
Nutcracker
A nutcracker is a mechanical device for cracking nuts. Usually they work on the principle of moments as described in Archimedes' analysis of the lever...
choreographed by Leonid Kozlov
Leonid Kozlov
Leonid Kozlov is a former principal dancer of the Bolshoi and New York City Ballet. He is also a choreographer, and the founder of Kozlov Dance International and Youth Dance Festival of New Jersey.-Biography:...
and Valentina Kozlova on 8 October 1982.
Since 2007 the venue has been run by Palais Theatre Management Pty Ltd. It now hosts around one hundred events and performances a year and has an ongoing program of restoration and repairs. In 2010 Palais Theatre Management won the City of Port Phillip Business of the Year award.
Features
Interiors and exteriors are inspired by MoorishIslamic architecture
Islamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures in Islamic culture....
architecture with twin dome towers, a theme shared by many surrounding buildings in the suburb, including Luna Park
Luna Park, Melbourne
For other amusement parks of the same name, see Luna Park; for other uses of the phrase, see Luna Park Melbourne's Luna Park is a historic amusement park located on the foreshore of Port Phillip Bay in St Kilda, Victoria, an inner suburb of Melbourne, Australia...
, which is adjacent to the south, the St Kilda Pavilion
St Kilda Pavilion
The St Kilda Pavilion is a historic kiosk located at the end of St Kilda Pier, in St Kilda, Victoria, Australia. The kiosk was designed by James Charles Morell and built in 1904 by John W. Douglas. The kiosk was proposed and operated by Francis Parer. Until the 1930s the structure was widely...
, St Kilda Sea Baths and Walter Burley Griffin
Walter Burley Griffin
Walter Burley Griffin was an American architect and landscape architect, who is best known for his role in designing Canberra, Australia's capital city...
's Palais de Danse, which stood adjacent to the west before being destroyed by fire.
The exteriors also feature faux Egyptian
Ancient Egyptian architecture
The Nile valley has been the site of one of the most influential civilizations which developed a vast array of diverse structures encompassing ancient Egyptian architecture...
elements, whilst the interiors also include Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
inspired elements.
In Popular culture
- A digitally modified Palais makes a cameo in the movie Dead SilenceDead SilenceDead Silence is a 2007 horror film, directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell, the creators of Saw...
as the abandoned and haunted "Theatre at Lost Lake", featuring the top of the building and its towers. - The movie Stork featuring Jacki WeaverJacki WeaverJacqueline Ruth "Jacki" Weaver is an Australian theatre, film and television actress. She is best known outside Australia for her performance in Animal Kingdom, for which she was nominated for the 2011 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.-Career:Jacki Weaver has been working in Australian...
and Bruce SpenceBruce SpenceBruce Spence, born September 17, 1945 is an actor, having spent most of his career performing in Australia. Bruce attended Henderson High School in West Auckland....
, premiered at the Palais Theatre in 1971. - The Palais Theatre is featured in the 1976 Australian film Oz (a take on The Wonderful Wizard of OzThe Wonderful Wizard of OzThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
). - The Palais Theatre is featured in the 1993 Australian comedy filmComedy filmComedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
Hercules ReturnsHercules ReturnsHercules Returns is a 1993 Australian comedy film directed by David Parker, starring David Argue, Michael Carman, Bruce Spence and Mary Coustas. The film has a cult following in Australia and other countries...
, directed by David ParkerDavid Parker (director)David Parker is an Australian cinematographer, film producer, screenwriter and film director.Films written by Parker include Malcolm, Rikky and Pete, The Big Steal, and Amy. He has directed two films, Hercules Returns and Diana and Me.He is married to Nadia Tass-External links:* at...
. - Michael Nesmith, former member of the '60s super group the Monkees, recorded a live album at the Palais titled "Live at the Palais" (released in 1978)