Enmore Theatre

Last updated

Enmore Theatre
Enmore Theatre.JPG
Facade of the Enmore Theatre, 2007
Enmore Theatre
General information
Architectural style Inter-war Art Deco
LocationSydney, Australia
Address118–132 Enmore Road,
Newtown, Sydney,
Australia
Coordinates 33°53′56″S151°10′26″E / 33.89889°S 151.17389°E / -33.89889; 151.17389
Opened1908
Renovated1920; 1937
Cost£24,000 (1920); $2 million (1991)
OwnerCentury Venues
ManagementCentury Venues
Design and construction
Architect(s) Kaberry & Chard (1920)
Renovating team
Architect(s)Charles Bohringer & Associates (1937)
Main contractorJ. Marron; T. Franklin & Sons (Auditorium)
Other information
Seating capacity2,500 standing, 1,700 seated
Website
Venue Website
New South Wales Heritage Database
(Local Government Register)
Official nameEnmore Theatre, including interiors [1]
TypeLocal heritage (built)
Designated12 December 2011
Part of Inner West Local Environmental Plan 2022
Reference no.I1320

The Enmore Theatre is a theatre and entertainment venue in Enmore, New South Wales, Australia.

Contents

It was built in 1908. It is located at 118–132 Enmore Road in Newtown, in the inner west of Sydney's suburbs. It was first opened in 1912 as a photo-play theatre. [2] It was run by a well-known theatre family at the time, the Szarka Brothers.

Today's Enmore Theatre is the longest running live theatre in Sydney, hosting concerts, comedians, plays and all forms of performance. The theatre is considered a medium-sized venue that holds 1,700 people when fully seated and 2,500 when seats are removed, and all attendees are standing. It has hosted many international bands including a performance by Bob Dylan.

The venue's Inter-war Art Deco style, dating from its 1937 remodelling by Charles Bohringer, is protected by its listing as a local heritage item by Inner West Council. The Enmore theatre has had many renovations and shifts of ownership. Today it is owned by Century Venues and has hosted a range of arts from photographic, performing arts, music and motion picture.

The theatre's listing in the Office of Environment and Heritage states that the building "illustrates the development of suburban theatres in the late 1930s and early 1940s and is of social significance for the local community.″ [3] It is the only theatre in Sydney from the Art Deco movement in its original condition. From cinema use to concerts, today it is used for various reasons.

History

Opened in 1912, the theatre was first used as a photo-play theatre that screened silent movies, this was accompanied by a concert orchestra. Patrons could attend silent movies for between three and six pennies. [4]

The venue was run by brothers William and George Szarka. William Szarka, also known as Bill, was an elected member of the local council from 1914 to 1928. He crowned himself "King of Newtown" on stage at the Enmore theatre in the style of a pageant, complete with pageboys and regal robes. He was also a boxing promoter and businessman. Together the brothers also ran the Olympia Stadium in nearby Marrickville. [5]

The two brothers rejuvenated the cinema. In 1920, the pair extensively renovated the theatre, before it was opened by premier John Storey on 1 July in the same year. Theatre architects Kaberry and Chard carried out the renovations in the Inter-war Spanish Mission style. [6] The Sydney Morning Herald reported the cost of this was 24,000 pounds. In 1920 it was reported that the bill would be changed twice a week on Mondays and Fridays.[ citation needed ]

In 1926, the Szarka brothers joined the Hoyts cinema chain. 1928 saw the arrival of talking pictures which created a massive surge in cinema attendance. [7] Hoyts cinema chain purchased the venue from the Szarka brothers in 1936.[ further explanation needed ] The brothers' company, Szarka Bros Ltd, was liquidated in 1936.[ citation needed ] In 1937, Hoyts Theatres Limited undertook an extensive construction programme across their suburban theatres, including the complete rebuilding of the Enmore Theatre. [8] [9] The theatre was expanded and completed redesigned in the Art Deco style by prominent theatre architect, Charles Bohringer & Associates, with J. Marron as the builder. [10] [11] [12] [13]

The cinema was closed in 1967 and was reopened in 1969, when it was purchased by the Louis Film Company. The family owned business, adapted and controlled the theatre privately, screening only Greek Films. The venue's name was changed to Finos Theatre. This was popular in an area where 13% of the Greek population lived. The 1980s saw a decline in use of theatres across Sydney, with many theatres closing down. The Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust took control of the theatre and began renovations. Half a million dollars was spent restoring and extending the venue, once again allowing the venue to host live performances. Unlike other cinemas which were demolished due to the Sydney pro-development movement, the Enmore Theatre was reopened in 1985 with its original name. The Fink family became the sole owner of Hoyts in 1985 and expanded its operations into distribution and home entertainment. [14] The experience of cinema was changing.

In 1991, the Showcall Pty ltd began running the theatre and exceeded $2 million in expenditure to redesign the venue and provide additional space. The popularity of the Enmore Theatre is closely linked with the contemporary development of Newtown as an arts and entertainment hub. [15] The Federal Government in 1992 requested the Australian Broadcasting Authority to begin trials of community television. [16] There was less demand for cinema, and more demand for live entertainment and performances within spaces like the Enmore Theatre.

On 3 March 2022, during a sold-out show by Genesis Owusu, the dance floor collapsed two songs into his set. The concert was halted and rescheduled. No one was injured and the venue confirmed the following day that the floor was repaired and all scheduled shows would still continue. [17]

Events

A list of some of the more famous musical acts that have performed at the Enmore Theatre

Act NameGenreCountryYear Played
Amy Shark Indie Pop Australia2018
Bob Dylan American Folk & RockUnited States2018
Buddy Guy Blues United States2023
Coldplay Alternative Rock United Kingdom2001

2014

The Cranberries Alternative Rock Ireland2012
DMA's Indie RockAustralia2018
Dizzie Rascal British Hip Hop United Kingdom2018
Europe Hard Rock Sweden2018
Gang of Youths Alternative RockAustralia2018
Hunters and Collectors Pub Rock Australia2014
Icehouse Rock and New WaveAustralia2017
Kevin Morby Indie and Folk RockUnited States2020
KISS Hard Rock United States2004
London Grammar Indie Pop and ElectronicaUnited Kingdom2015
Lily Allen Electropop Contemporary R&BUnited Kingdom2019
Mark Knopfler Pop Rock FilmUnited Kingdom2005
Missy Higgins Acoustic music and Independent MusicAustralia2014
Nick Cave Alternative and Experimental rock Australia2013
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds Rock and Britpop United Kingdom2012
Pete Murray Folk MusicAustralia2017
Polyphia Progressive rock United States2023*
Sonic Youth Alternative Rock United States2008
The Ramones Punk Rock United States1989
Rory Gallagher Blues RockIreland1991
The Script Pop rockIreland2009
The Rolling Stones Rock and RollUnited Kingdom2003
The Temper Trap Indie RockAustralia2013
The Dandy Warhols Alternative and Psychedelic rock United States2008

2024

The White Stripes Garage RockUnited States2003
TLC Hip Hop and Contemporary R&BUnited States2016
Yothu Yindi & Treaty Project Indigenous music of Australia Australia2018
Vance Joy Indie FolkAustralia2018
"Weird Al" Yankovic Parody and PolkaUnited States2023
British R&B singer Mahalia performing at the Enmore Theatre in May 2024. Mahalia in Sydney.jpg
British R&B singer Mahalia performing at the Enmore Theatre in May 2024.

One of its earlier notable events is that the venue hosted several Miss Globe pageants during the 1950s and 1960s. Other performances and shows include Rockwiz, screening the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Comedy Festival 2016, Tuesday Comedy Club Nights, Mardi Gras Parties, Miss Pole Dance Australia, Wogs at Work, The Pink Floyd Experience, My Favourite Murder. Comedy performances include Tom Gleeson, Matt Okine, Kitty Flanagan, Miranda Sings, Daniel Tosh, Merrick and Rosso, Rove McManus and Lano and Woodley.The Enmore Theatre is also becoming known as a major space for children's entertainment featuring acts such as The Wiggles, Justine Clarke, The Fairies, & Lah-Lah.

Australian musician, Steve Balbi, describes the Enmore Theatre as having a "certain prestige...that's kind of a little bit like the Sydney Cricket Ground, not at an arena level but at a theatre level. It's beautiful, it's about music, it's about performance." [18]

In 2020, due to the Global pandemic of COVID-19, and the forced temporary shut down of all venues in Australia, the Enmore Theatre had to cancel and reschedule many performances.

Community use

The Spanish Mission style Enmore Theatre (circa 1920), as designed by Kaberry and Chard. Enmore Theatre, c. 1920s, by Sam Hood (4057058940).jpg
The Spanish Mission style Enmore Theatre (circa 1920), as designed by Kaberry and Chard.

The late 20th century saw the local community of Enmore and Newtown become more active in community activism and independent thinking. The Enmore Theatre is therefore not just used for performance purposes. It has previously and is today been used by the local community. In 2015, the local community attended a meeting that proposed the plans for the WestConnex development proposals [19] The local community of the Marrickville, Enmore and Newtown suburbs strongly rejected the proposals actioned by the local and state government. The Enmore Theatre often also supports the local community through hosting local acts and performances. An example of this was in 2014 the Enmore Theatre hosted the event 'Rock the Gate.' This was to raise money in support of protecting farmlands from fracking as well as unconventional gas mining. [20]

In terms of location, the closest train station is Newtown Station, the theatre is within 5 minutes walking distance. Parking is limited in the area. Patrons can, however, book a parking spot to ensure they will have a place to park their vehicle. There are many buses from the CBD to Newtown and Enmore. It is surrounded by cafes, restaurants and bars. There are public toilets on site at the Theatre and it is air conditioned. Inside the venue is three licensed bars. It has confectionary items, snacks, soft drinks and alcohol. There is a cloakroom that charges $3 per item. Condition of entry requires patrons to put large bags or backpacks in the cloakroom. Smoking within the venue is not permitted. For those who wish to collect or purchases tickets at the venue, the Box Office opens 2 hours prior to any performance. [21]

Architecture

Interior view of the Enmore Theatre, January 2022 Enmore Theatre Interior 2022 GB.jpg
Interior view of the Enmore Theatre, January 2022

1920 Enmore Theatre was originally designed by architects, Kaberry & Chard, in the Spanish Mission Style. [22] The Art Deco design of the Enmore Theatre is the work of prominent theatre architect, Charles Bohringer, who was responsible for the designs of a large number of theatres around Sydney. [11] [12] [13] [23]

The Enmore Theatre has been described as "Art Nouveau, Edwardian, Art Moderne and various Art Deco." [24] It is predominantly modern, with aspects of late 19th century and early 20th century architecture. Tropman & Tropman architects completed the most recent heritage study review, acknowledging that the "building is of rendered masonry with a raised parapet and Art Deco motif above the wide, multi-lead doorway." The entrance has pressed metal lining and the doors are made of timber, with glass insertions and brass detailing. The most recent assessment of condition was done in 2001, the local government recorded that the building appeared to be in reasonable condition, with some cracking within the paintwork. The building is classified by the national trust and is registered in the historic buildings of the Australian Institute of Architects.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newtown, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west, is located approximately four kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, straddling the local government areas of the City of Sydney and Inner West Council in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marrickville, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Marrickville is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Marrickville is located 7 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the largest suburb in the Inner West Council local government area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enmore, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Enmore is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Enmore is located 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Inner West Council. Like Newtown, Enmore is mostly comprises Victorian era buildings, namely in its commercial area, that provide a hint of the suburb's rich cultural heritage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regent Theatre (Sydney)</span> Former cinema and entertainment venue in Sydney, Australia

The Regent Theatre was a heritage-listed cinema and entertainment venue in George Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, built in 1928 as a flagship for Hoyts, and was demolished in 1988 by property developer Leon Fink.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Spot, New South Wales</span> Locality in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

The Spot is a locality in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, south-east of the CBD. The Spot is located in the south-eastern part of the suburb of Randwick, around the intersection of Perouse Road and St Pauls Street. It is a vibrant part of Randwick and consists of a collection of shops, restaurants, cafes and a cinema.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State Theatre (Sydney)</span> Heritage-listed theater in Sydney, Australia

The State Theatre is a heritage-listed theatre, located at 47–51 Market Street, in the Sydney central business district in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The theatre was designed by Henry Eli White with assistance from John Eberson and built between 1926 and 1929. It hosts film screenings, live theatre and musical performances, and since 1974 it has been the home of the annual Sydney Film Festival. It is also known as State Building and Wurlitzer Organ. The property is privately owned. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

The Regal Theatre, formerly known as the Chelsea Cinema, the Princess Theatre and the Ozone Marryatville or Marryatville Ozone Theatre, is a single-screen cinema in Kensington Park, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. Originally built in 1925 to the designs of South Australian theatre architect Christopher Arthur Smith, it retains the features of a major renovation in Art Deco style in 1941 designed by noted cinema architect F. Kenneth Milne. It was heritage-listed on the South Australian Heritage Register in 1983. It is the oldest continuously running purpose-built cinema in Adelaide, and the only remaining silent cinema still operating in the city. It is owned by Burnside Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plaza Theatre, Perth</span> Cinema in Perth, Australia

The former Plaza Theatre is located at 650–658 Hay Street, Perth, Western Australia. It was the first purpose-designed Art Deco cinema in Perth. The Plaza Theatre opened in 1937 and was built for Hoyts Theatres Ltd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oriana Cinema</span> Former cinema in Fremantle, Western Australia

The Oriana Cinema was an art deco cinema and theatre built in 1938 in Fremantle, Western Australia and demolished in the early 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ritz Cinema, Randwick</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

The Ritz Cinema, also known as the Ritz Theatre, is a heritage-listed cinema located at 43 St Pauls Street, in the Sydney suburb of Randwick in the City of Randwick local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Aaron Bolot and built in 1937 by C. & B. J. Williams. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The architect, Aaron Bolot, is known for his classic art deco buildings throughout Sydney, such as his commissions for grand apartment buildings in Potts Point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minerva Theatre, Sydney</span> Australian performance venue

The Minerva Theatre was a theatre located in Orwell Street in Kings Cross, Sydney. Originally a live venue, it was converted to the Metro Cinema in 1950, before returning to live shows in 1969. It ceased operating as a theatre in 1979. From 2019 onwards, there were community efforts to ensure the building would continue operating as a theatre. However, in 2023, the City of Sydney announced the building would be redeveloped as a hotel/nightclub.

The Enfield Savoy Theatre was a theatre and cinema located at 306-308 Liverpool Road, Enfield, a suburb in the inner west region of Sydney, New South Wales. The building now functions as a hardware store.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petersham Town Hall</span> Town hall in Australia

The Petersham Town Hall is a heritage-listed town hall located at 107 Crystal Street in Petersham, a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, Australia. It was built in 1937–38 in the Inter-War Stripped Classical architectural style by architects Rudder & Grout, and replaced the first Petersham Town Hall on the site, which was designed in the Victorian Renaissance Revival style by Thomas Rowe in 1880–1882. The Town Hall was the seat of Petersham Municipal Council from 1938 to 1948 and from 1948 to 1974 was the seat of the Municipality of Marrickville, which absorbed Petersham. When the council moved to new offices across the street in 1974, the town hall has primarily been used as a meeting hall, community centre, filming location and archival office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scone Civic Theatre</span> Heritage-listed cinema in Scone, New South Wales, Australia

The Scone Civic Theatre is a heritage-listed cinema at 144 Kelly Street, Scone, Upper Hunter Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Guy Crick and Bruce Furse and built from 1937 to 1938 by Mr A. F. Little. The property is privately owned. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 21 February 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malachi Gilmore Memorial Hall</span> Historic building in New South Wales, Australia

The Malachi Gilmore Memorial Hall is a heritage-listed former cinema and dance hall and now multi-use arts space at 124 Oberon Street, Oberon, Oberon Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Virgil Cizzio or Bolton Millane from the firm of Agabiti & Millane and built from 1936 to 1937 by H. A. Taylor. It was also known as the Magna Theatre during the 1950s. The property is privately owned. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 5 December 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace</span> Cinema built in Sydney, Australia in 1935

The Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, also known and originally as the Cremorne Orpheum Theatre, is a heritage-listed cinema located at 380 Military Road, in the northern Sydney suburb of Cremorne in the North Sydney Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by George Newton Kenworthy and built in 1935 by F. T. Eastment and Sons. It was added as a Heritage Item to the North Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2013 on 2 August 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Newton Kenworthy</span> English-born Australian architect

George Newton Kenworthy FRAIA, also known as G. N. Kenworthy or "Kennie", was a leading Sydney architect and Fellow of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects best associated for his work in partnership with Henry Eli White and for his building designs in the Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, Functionalist and Spanish Mission styles.

Ozone Theatres Ltd, formerly Ozone Picture Company and then Ozone Amusements Ltd, was a cinema chain based in Adelaide, South Australia, from 1911 until 1951, when it sold its theatres to Hoyts. It was founded by Hugh Waterman and friends, and was jointly run by him and seven sons, including Clyde Waterman and Sir Ewen McIntyre Waterman. S.A. Theatres and Ozone Theatres were subsidiary companies, and the chain was referred to as the Ozone circuit. It was one of two major film exhibitors in the state from after World War I until the late 1940s, the other being D. Clifford Theatres Limited. After 1938, Ozone dominated the market.

Kaberry and Chard was an Australian architectural firm known for designing theatres, "picture theatres", and town halls from around 1920 until the end of 1939. They were based in Sydney, New South Wales, and designed many theatres in every state of Australia, as well as commercial buildings. The firm's partner's were Lewis Kaberry (1879–1962) and Clifford M. Chard.

References

  1. "Enmore Theatre, including interiors". NSW State Heritage Inventory. Heritage NSW. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  2. Bennett, Josephine; Woods, Ronald; Bower, Naomi; Bruce, Sophi; O'Connor, Geraldine. "Creative Councils for Creative Communities" (PDF).
  3. "Enmore Theatre". New South Wales Heritage Database. Office of Environment & Heritage . Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  4. "A Journey Through Time". Enmore Theatre. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  5. City of Sydney. "William Szarka – Sydney's Alderman". City of Sydney. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  6. "Buildings, and works. Enmore Theatre". The Sydney Morning Herald . No. 25, 736. New South Wales, Australia. 30 June 1920. p. 8. Retrieved 16 February 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  7. Collins, D (1986). Hollywood Downunder: Australians at the Movies 1896 to the Present Day. NSW: Angus and Robertson. p. 16.
  8. "HOYTS REBUILD THEATRES". The Labor Daily . New South Wales, Australia. 20 February 1937. p. 9. Retrieved 18 March 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  9. "NEW THEATRES FOR HOYTS". Truth. New South Wales, Australia. 21 February 1937. p. 24. Retrieved 18 March 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  10. "WORKS AHEAD". The Sydney Morning Herald . New South Wales, Australia. 12 January 1937. p. 6. Retrieved 18 March 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  11. 1 2 "Theatre Interior remodelled at Enmore, N.S.W." Decoration and Glass . 3 (3). National Library of Australia (Trove): 32–33. 1 July 1937. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  12. 1 2 "A Modern Auditorium". Decoration and Glass. 3 (5). National Library of Australia (Trove): 38–40. 1 September 1937. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  13. 1 2 "Who's Who - Charles Bohringer, A.R.A.I.A". Decoration and Glass. 2 (6). National Library of Australia (Trove): 62–63. 1 October 1936. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  14. Moran, A; Veith, E (2005). Historical Dictionary of Australian and New Zealand Cinema. Maryland, USA: The Scarecrow Press. p. 7.
  15. Meader, Chrys. "Enmore". Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  16. NFSA. "Australian film and television chronology". Australian Screen. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  17. "Enmore Theatre floor collapses during Genesis Owusu gig". NME . 3 March 2022.
  18. Contempree, Martin. "The Enmore Theatre". Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  19. Barnes, Mel (6 September 2016). "Angry Community Rejects WestConnex". Green Left. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  20. Century Venues. "Rock the Gate". Enmore Theatre. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  21. Artsplanner.com Archived 9 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 24 March 2012
  22. City of Sydney. "Enmore". The Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  23. "Mr. C. Bohringer. Prominent Architect". The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate . New South Wales, Australia. 29 October 1936. p. 14. Retrieved 18 March 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  24. CCE Magazine. Archived 21 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine , accessed 28 May 2020