Palais Theatre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Palais Theatre

Palais Theatre, St Kilda, 2016
Former names	Palais Pictures (1927–57)
Address	Lower Esplanade St Kilda, Victoria 3182 Australia
Location	Greater Melbourne
Operator	Live Nation Australia
Capacity	2,896
Construction
Opened	1927
Renovated	1952, 2007–16
Architect	Henry Eli White

The Palais Theatre is a famous old theatre in St Kilda, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It used to be called Palais Pictures. It's a huge theatre that can seat almost 3,000 people. This makes it the biggest theatre in Australia with seats.

The theatre was designed by Henry Eli White. It opened in 1927, replacing an earlier cinema that had burned down. The Palais Theatre is right next to Luna Park. Together, they helped make the St Kilda beach area a popular place for fun and entertainment. The Palais Theatre is still a very important building in the area.

Since the 1950s, it has mostly been a place for live shows. It has hosted ballet, opera, comedy, and concerts with famous performers. The Palais Theatre is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. In 2015, it was even added to the Music Victoria Hall of Fame.

History of the Palais Theatre

The Palais Theatre was built by three brothers from America: Leon, Herman, and Harold Phillips. They first started Luna Park in St Kilda in 1912. This was their first big entertainment project in Australia.

Early Entertainment Venues

After Luna Park, the Phillips brothers built more fun places. They created dance halls and cinemas near Luna Park. In 1913, they opened the first Palais de Danse, which was a dance hall. This building was later changed into Palais Pictures in 1915.

In 1919, a new Palais Pictures building was constructed. The old Palais building was moved next door and became a dance hall again, called the Palais de Danse. In 1922, the inside of the Palais de Danse was redesigned by architect Walter Burley Griffin.

Fire and Rebuilding

In 1925, Walter Burley Griffin also worked on redesigning the Palais Pictures building. But in 1926, before the work was finished, a fire destroyed the entire building. The Phillips brothers then hired a new architect, Henry Eli White. He was known for designing theatres. They wanted him to build a bigger and grander theatre.

Opening of the New Palais Theatre

The new Palais Theatre opened on November 12, 1927. It was the largest theatre outside of Melbourne's main city area. The first movies shown were Across the Pacific and Rough House Rosie. There was also live music by Harry Jacobs and his orchestra.

Changing Roles and Famous Acts

After the last Phillips brother passed away in 1957, the Palais Theatre became owned by local business people. A special plaque inside the theatre remembers Leon Phillips. Until the 1950s, the Palais was mainly a cinema. But it slowly became more popular for live performances.

Many famous international stars performed there, like Johnnie Ray, Bob Hope, the Rolling Stones, and Tom Jones. Around the 1950s, its name changed from Palais Pictures to Palais Theatre. This showed its new focus on live shows. Even the neon sign on the front was updated!

Palais Theatre in the 1960s and 1970s

In the 1960s and 70s, the Palais hosted many different types of shows. It had live music, movies, opera, and ballet. Famous ballet companies like the Bolshoi Theatre and the Kirov Ballet performed there. The Australian Ballet also used the Palais as their Melbourne home. They premiered their version of Swan Lake in 1977 and The Nutcracker in 1982.

The Melbourne Film Festival was held at the Palais from 1962 to 1982. The musical Jesus Christ Superstar was performed there in 1973 and 1976. Famous opera singer Joan Sutherland also appeared with the Australian Opera in The Merry Widow in 1979.

In 1974-75, the Australian premiere of A Film About Jimi Hendrix happened at the Palais. This was also the first time a very powerful sound system was used for a movie screening in Australia. In 1975, the International Women's Film Festival also held events at the Palais.

Recent Renovations and Management

In the mid-2000s, there were plans to redevelop the area around the Palais. The company that managed the theatre at the time removed some items, like a fancy chandelier. After some legal discussions, it was decided they owned these items.

From 2007 to 2016, the local council, City of Port Phillip, managed the theatre. In 2016, a new 30-year lease was given to a company called Live Nation. The state leader, Daniel Andrews, announced a $20 million plan to restore the theatre.

The theatre was repainted in its original sand color. It had been off-white for many years. The newly renovated Palais Theatre reopened in May 2017.

Architecture and Design

One of the theatre's boxes

The Palais Theatre has a very fancy and unique architectural style. It was built in the 1920s, and its design is typical of cinemas from that time. The building has an arched roof and two tall towers on the front. This design is similar to other famous buildings in the St Kilda area, like Luna Park next door.

The architect, Henry White, said he didn't follow one specific style for the Palais Pictures building. People have described the inside as having Spanish, French, Oriental, and Italian influences.

The outside of the theatre has Spanish Baroque details on top of its towers. The inside is mostly neoclassical. It has tall columns, a shallow dome in the main hall, and detailed plaster designs. It also used to have a lot of hidden lighting.

The Palais Theatre is recognized as an important historical building. It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.

Awards and Recognition

The Palais Theatre has received special recognition for its role in music.

Music Victoria Hall of Fame

At the Music Victoria Awards of 2015, the Palais Theatre was added to the Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for places or people who have made a big impact on music in Victoria.

The Music Victoria Awards are held every year to celebrate music from Victoria. They started in 2006. The award for Best Venue was first given out in 2016.