Regent Theatre (Sydney)
Encyclopedia
The Regent Theatre was a heritage-listed theatre in Sydney, Australia, which was demolished in 1988.
' showcase "picture palace" in Sydney
, designed by the distinguished architect Cedric Ballantyne and built by James Porter & Sons.
Located at 487-503 George St, Sydney, near the Sydney Town Hall
, it stood next door to the famed Sydney Trocadero
dance hall, which was demolished in 1970.
The Regent operated as a cinema for most of its life, but from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s it was a popular venue for music concerts and stage shows, and in its final years hosted many large-scale musicals and performances by the Australian Opera and Australian Ballet.
The gala opening was on 9 March 1928 with the film Flesh and the Devil
starring John Gilbert
and Greta Garbo
, the theatre closed with a screening of the documentary Ski Time on 26 May 1984. The last live performance was by American musician Ellen McIlwaine
on 19 May 1984.
In the late 1970s many meetings of the Australian Broadcasting Commission Staff Association were held there at very reasonable rates, the owner being sympathetic to the trade union.
Demolition commenced in late 1988 after a court decision upheld the lifting of the permanent conservation order by the then Minister for Planning and Local Government.
The slump in the Sydney property market that followed meant that the site remained a vast hole in the ground until 2004, when work finally began on a new high-rise building complex.
Many of the theatre's fittings were sold at an auction in 1990, and can be found in a number of locations around Sydney and NSW. A lightweight plastic replica of the Art Deco
crystal chandelier from the Regent's foyer now hangs in the foyer of the nearby The Metro Theatre
; redeveloped from a cinema, it is now the city's leading rock music venue. The fate of the original chandelier, from which the Metro's copy was made, is unknown.
The theatre had been listed on the Register of the National Estate
, but this did not prevent its demolition.
The remodelled Regent Melbourne
which has been converted for live performance still exists, as does the Regent Theatre, Dunedin
in New Zealand, which serves as both a live performance venue and a cinema.
Description and history
The Regent Theatre was HoytsHoyts
The Hoyts Group is an Australian company consisting of Hoyts Exhibition, Hoyts Distribution and Val Morgan.Hoyts Exhibition manages 450 screens across 40 Australian and 10 New Zealand cinema complexes; making it Australia's second largest cinema chain. Val Morgan, the cinema advertising arm of the...
' showcase "picture palace" in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, designed by the distinguished architect Cedric Ballantyne and built by James Porter & Sons.
Located at 487-503 George St, Sydney, near the Sydney Town Hall
Sydney Town Hall
The Sydney Town Hall is a landmark sandstone building located in the heart of Sydney. It stands opposite the Queen Victoria Building and alongside St Andrew's Cathedral...
, it stood next door to the famed Sydney Trocadero
Sydney Trocadero
The Sydney Trocadero in Sydney, Australia, opened with a full-dress gala on 3 April 1936. It was the main venue of Big Band jazz orchestras, with the resident Trocadero Orchestra under the baton of Frank Coughlan, and the All Girl Trocadero Band....
dance hall, which was demolished in 1970.
The Regent operated as a cinema for most of its life, but from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s it was a popular venue for music concerts and stage shows, and in its final years hosted many large-scale musicals and performances by the Australian Opera and Australian Ballet.
The gala opening was on 9 March 1928 with the film Flesh and the Devil
Flesh and the Devil
Flesh and the Devil is an MGM romantic drama silent film. It stars Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, Lars Hanson, and Barbara Kent, directed by Clarence Brown, and based on the play The Undying Past by Hermann Sudermann....
starring John Gilbert
John Gilbert (actor)
John Gilbert was an American actor and a major star of the silent film era.Known as "the great lover," he rivaled even Rudolph Valentino as a box office draw...
and Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
, the theatre closed with a screening of the documentary Ski Time on 26 May 1984. The last live performance was by American musician Ellen McIlwaine
Ellen McIlwaine
Ellen McIlwaine is an American singer-songwriter and musician best known for her career as a slide guitarist.-Biography:...
on 19 May 1984.
In the late 1970s many meetings of the Australian Broadcasting Commission Staff Association were held there at very reasonable rates, the owner being sympathetic to the trade union.
Demolition commenced in late 1988 after a court decision upheld the lifting of the permanent conservation order by the then Minister for Planning and Local Government.
The slump in the Sydney property market that followed meant that the site remained a vast hole in the ground until 2004, when work finally began on a new high-rise building complex.
Many of the theatre's fittings were sold at an auction in 1990, and can be found in a number of locations around Sydney and NSW. A lightweight plastic replica of the 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...
crystal chandelier from the Regent's foyer now hangs in the foyer of the nearby The Metro Theatre
The Metro Theatre
The Metro Theatre is a music venue located on George Street, in the central business district of Sydney, Australia. The venue was redeveloped, from two former cinemas, by property developer Leon Fink....
; redeveloped from a cinema, it is now the city's leading rock music venue. The fate of the original chandelier, from which the Metro's copy was made, is unknown.
The theatre had been listed on the Register of the National Estate
Register of the National Estate
The Register of the National Estate is a listing of natural and cultural heritage places in Australia. The listing was initially compiled between 1976 and 2003 by the Australian Heritage Commission. The register is now maintained by the Australian Heritage Council...
, but this did not prevent its demolition.
The remodelled Regent Melbourne
Regent Theatre, Melbourne
The Regent Theatre is a 2162 seat theatre in Melbourne, Australia. It is listed by the National Trust of Australia and is on the Victorian Heritage Register.-History:...
which has been converted for live performance still exists, as does the Regent Theatre, Dunedin
Regent Theatre, Dunedin
The Regent Theatre is a theatre in Dunedin, New Zealand with a seating capacity of about 1,650. It is in The Octagon, the city's central plaza, directly opposite the Municipal Chambers and close to the Dunedin Public Art Gallery....
in New Zealand, which serves as both a live performance venue and a cinema.