Regent Theatre (Brisbane)

The Regent Theatre in Brisbane is a multi-cinema picture palace, one of the original Hoyts' Picture Palaces from the 1920s. It is located at 167 Queen Street on the popular Queen Street Mall.

Origins

It was anticipated as the first American-style picture palace, reflecting the opulence and grandeur of the great Hollywood era, to be built in Queensland, and was one of many operated by Hoyts in Australia.

Other Significant Regent Cinemas around Australia were the Regent George Street Sydney (demolished) Regent Rundle Mall Adelaide (closed) and the Regent Melbourne on Collins Street, restored in the 1990's and now a major successful live theatre for Melbourne [http://cinematreasures.org/theater/1287/] . Smaller Regent cinemas include the Regent in downtown Ballarat Victoria, now remodelled into a popular multi screen complex.

The picture palaces were built to imitate Hollywood's Golden Era, and were designed to function as a cinema and theatre.

The Regent was designed by Melbourne architect, Charles N. Hollinshed, with assistance from the Brisbane-based Richard Gailey Junior and Aaron Bolot.

It was erected in 1929 and opened on 8 November.

Architecture

The Regent's entrance foyer is on the narrow Queen Street site, and the auditorium was constructed on the broader site in Elizabeth Street.

The original interior decoration was a mixture of Spanish Gothic and Romanesque.

The mezzanine foyer contains a white marble staircase, made from Queensland marble, along with vaulted cathedral ceilings.

The Theatre in the 70s

In 1978 the Regent was marked for demolition, but after lobbying from the Save the Regent campaign, a compromise was met. The new building owners, Birch, Carroll & Coyle, agreed to redevelop the Regent while retaining elements of the existing decoration. The marble staircase and vaulted ceilings of the mezzanine foyer were saved, as was the entrance foyer ceiling mural.

2008 Developments

The Regent Theatre historic facade and entry and mezzanine foyer are to be preserved in a new development which will see the centre becoming the Queensland Film & Television School [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/10/2360514.htm] .

Coffee Shop

As well as the several cinemas within, the theatre foyer hosts a popular Aromas Coffee Shop.

Photo Gallery

References