Amusu Theatre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Amusu Theatre |
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Amusu Theatre, 2018
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| Location | 17 Derowie Street, Manildra, Cabonne Shire, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1936 |
| Architect | Allan Tom |
| Owner | Cabonne Council |
| Official name: Amusu Theatre; Amusu Cinema | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 26 November 1999 |
| Reference no. | 1308 |
| Type | Cinema |
| Category | Recreation and Entertainment |
| Builders | Jim Fullerton |
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The Amusu Theatre is a special old movie theatre and performance space in Manildra, Australia. It's listed as a heritage site, meaning it's an important part of history that needs to be protected. The theatre was designed by Allan Tom and built in 1936 by Jim Fullerton. It's also known as Amusu Cinema. Today, the Cabonne Council owns this unique building.
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Discovering the Amusu Theatre's Past
Movies first came to Manildra around 1910. By 1914, films were shown in a place called Fleeting's Hall. A man named Allan Tom was a pioneer in showing movies. He started during the "silent era," when movies had no sound. He quickly learned how to adapt his equipment for "talkies," which were movies with sound.
Allan Tom: The Travelling Picture Show Man
Allan Tom was famous for being a travelling picture show man. From the early 1920s to the 1940s, he toured many parts of New South Wales. He even went to faraway places like Cobar and Bourke. During the Great Depression, a time when many people had little money, Allan showed movies in a tent. This brought much-needed fun and support to people in remote areas.
In 1923, Allan moved his shows to Reid's Hall. Then, in 1925, he moved to the Memorial Hall. His big dream was to build his own theatre. In 1936, he built the Amusu Theatre in Derowie Street. It had seats for 300 people on one level. The name "Amusu" came from an equipment supplier Allan met in the early 1930s.
Allan worked with a local school teacher to design the theatre. He loved good sound, so he made sure the theatre had great acoustics. He even used a special material called Donaconna board, imported from the USA, to line the theatre walls. Jim Fullerton, a local Manildra resident, built the cinema. For twenty years, Allan also ran theatres in Millthorpe and Tullamore.
A Family's Dedication to Movies
Allan Tom faced many challenges, like droughts, floods, and the rise of television. But he kept showing movies, eventually only on Saturday nights. He continued to run the Amusu Theatre until he passed away in 1995 at 93 years old. His family still operates the theatre today, keeping his legacy alive.
In 2003, the Cabonne Shire Council bought the theatre and the garage next door. Now, a special committee runs the theatre. They show new movies on the third Saturday of every month. You can also arrange special screenings. The old garage has been turned into a movie poster museum. It has an amazing collection of 30,000 posters!
The Amusu Theatre's Unique Look
The Amusu Theatre has a cool Art Deco style front. It has a stepped top part, called a parapet, which was common in country towns back then. The front of the building is made of fibro and has a small window in the middle. The word "Amusu" is spelled out in colourful stained glass in the top part of this window.
Behind the fancy front, the main part of the theatre is like a big hall. Its walls are made of corrugated iron, and the roof is shaped like a triangle, called a gable roof. The projection room, where the movies are shown, is on the first floor. It still has its original working equipment!
Inside the Amusu Theatre
Stepping inside the Amusu Theatre is like going back in time. It has many original features from the 1930s. You can see the old ticket office, cool geometric light shades, and flip-up leather seats. There are even special "love seats" for two people! The projection room is lined with embossed tin. It still has two Westrex projectors from around 1936.
You'll also find plaster decorations and the theatre's "A" and "T" symbols on the stage. All around the walls, there are exhibits like old movie posters from the 1930s to the 1990s. You can also see old sound records and original projectors from Allan Tom's "travelling picture show" days.
The theatre has a special feel with its sloped wooden floor and old seats. They even show old cartoons and newsreels from the 1940s before the main movie. The theatre hasn't been completely changed over the years. Instead, it was updated carefully, keeping its original simple country hall style with some Art Deco touches. Allan Tom always liked new technology, so he added things like a cinemascope screen and better sound. But he kept the older equipment for display, which is why we can still see it today!
The building is in good shape, and its old equipment still works. The theatre and its inside have stayed pretty much the same since it was built.
Why the Amusu Theatre is a Heritage Site
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The Amusu Theatre is very important because it's a rare example of a small, purpose-built cinema in a country town. It has been used continuously as a movie theatre since it was built in 1936. Even though the council now owns it, it was run by the same family for a very long time.
A Link to Movie History
This cinema connects us to the early days of movies and how they changed communities, especially in rural Australia. The building is full of movie items, old fixtures, and fittings. This helps us understand its social and cultural importance. The theatre and everything inside it are a rare and special resource for learning about the past.
The Amusu Theatre was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999 for several reasons:
- It shows how cultural history developed in New South Wales. The Amusu is a living example of how important movies and cinemas have been to NSW's culture. It's directly linked to Allan Tom, the travelling picture show man, who was even awarded a medal for his contributions. Very few other cinemas in NSW have been open continuously since they were built in 1936. It also shows how the movie industry grew from silent films to modern times.
- It has special design features and technical achievements. The theatre's unique front is an important part of Manildra's street view.
- It has a strong connection to the community. The Amusu has a very special connection to central and western NSW. It played a huge role in the social and cultural life of rural communities. When Allan Tom's show toured, it was often the only entertainment available. It's rare for a cinema to be run by the same family for 63 years and to have so many old records and movie items.
- It can teach us about cultural history. The Amusu can help us understand NSW's cultural history and the role of cinemas. It shows how new technologies were adapted for tough conditions in rural NSW. Few other cinemas in NSW still have working arc-lamp projectors from the 1930s and 1940s. The building and its contents show how filmmaking changed over the 20th century. Being inside the Amusu Theatre helps people imagine what it was like to go to the movies in the 1930s.
- It is a rare and unique part of cultural history. The Amusu is rare because it's a purpose-built corrugated iron building that has been used continuously by the same family. Many old theatres from the early 1900s are now rare, especially those still used for their original purpose. The Amusu's continuous operation, its original features, and all the old items make it truly unique.
- It shows the main features of cinemas in New South Wales. The Amusu shows what cinemas were like in NSW. Its collection of items and records tells its story over 63 years. Out of many old entertainment halls in the area, the Amusu is one of the very few that still operates in its original state.
See Also
- New South Wales State Heritage Register
- Theatres in New South Wales
- Cinemas in New South Wales
