Regal Theatre, Kensington Park facts for kids

The Regal Theatre is a movie cinema in Kensington Park, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It has been known by several names, including the Chelsea Cinema, the Princess Theatre, and the Ozone Marryatville.

This cinema first opened in 1925. It was updated in 1941 with a cool Art Deco style. In 1983, it was added to the state's heritage list, which means it's an important historical building. The Regal Theatre is the oldest cinema in Adelaide that was built just for showing movies and has been running continuously. It's also the only remaining cinema from the silent film era that is still open.

As of July 2020^[update], the cinema was closed for updates. This was happening even though rules about cinemas during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia had been lifted.

The History of the Regal Theatre

How the Cinema Began

The Regal Theatre is located at 275 Kensington Road. This area is known for its many shops and businesses, often called the Marryatville shops. The cinema was built near the post office, a former primary school, a police station, and a bowling club.

The cinema first opened on 24 November 1925. It was called the Princess Theatre. National Pictures Ltd owned it. The building was designed in a late Edwardian style by Christopher Arthur Smith. He was a well-known South Australian architect.

The Princess Theatre was first built to show silent films. These movies had no sound, so live music was played. The Princess Theatre Orchestra would play music during the films. They also showed fun pantomimes. The first movie shown was Little Annie Rooney, starring Mary Pickford. The cinema could hold 1500 people. It even had a special area for the orchestra near the screen.

Becoming the Ozone Marryatville

In 1928, the Waterman family bought National Pictures Ltd. They owned Ozone Theatres Ltd. When "talkies" (movies with sound) became popular in 1929, the cinema was changed to show them.

A big upgrade happened in 1940–41. The cinema was redesigned in the popular Art Deco style. Frank Kenneth Milne was the architect for this project. It reopened on 30 May 1941 as the Ozone Marryatville. The number of seats was reduced to 1145, but it could hold up to 1490 people. The cinema was only closed for one week during this big renovation.

The 1941 changes added new areas. These included a function room and a parents' room. There were also special features for people with hearing difficulties. The main entrance area, called the foyer, had a fireplace. The seats were comfortable and upholstered. Beautiful plaster designs were added to the roof and walls of the cinema at this time.

Changes in Ownership and Name

In 1951, the cinema was sold to the Hoyts Group. This happened after Hoyts joined with Ozone Pictures. In 1955, a new cinemascope screen was put in. This wider screen allowed more types of films to be shown.

By 1963, the building was for sale again. Amoco Petrol Company wanted to buy it and build a petrol station there. But the Burnside Council bought the cinema instead. They then leased it back to Hoyts. This saved the cinema from being torn down.

From 1 January 1971, Wallis Cinemas took over the lease. They were expanding their cinemas across Adelaide. They renamed it the Chelsea Cinema. At this time, business was slow, and the equipment was very old. The projection equipment was from 1937! The screen was small, the seats were broken, and the curtains and carpet were worn out.

Saving the Cinema: Renovations and Heritage Listing

In 1977, the council talked about the cinema's future. It needed a lot of restoration. Wallis Cinemas replaced the screen and reduced the number of seats. They also found that some parts of the building had white ants.

Another major renovation happened in 1983–1984. This was after the building was listed on the state's heritage register. It was recognized as "the oldest purpose-built cinema in Adelaide." It was also noted as "the only remaining silent cinema still operating." The listing also highlighted its importance for architecture and culture in Burnside.

The council received a grant to help with the renovations. The number of seats was reduced from 1145 to 586. A new floor, screen, and sound equipment were installed. New carpet was laid, and the cinema was repainted for the first time since 1955. After this, the cinema started showing first-release films. This made it much more popular with audiences.

The Regal Theatre Today

In 2008, the City of Burnside thought about selling the Chelsea Cinema. But many people in the community wanted the building to stay publicly owned as a cinema. Because of this, the council created a plan in 2009 to protect and manage the Chelsea Cinema. They updated this plan in 2011.

In 2012, the council leased the cinema to a private company called Republic Theatres. On 1 February 2012, the cinema was renamed the Regal Theatre.

In 2017, the Burnside Council took over managing the cinema themselves. The conservation plan was updated again in 2020. This plan helps guide how the buildings are developed, protected, and maintained. Refurbishment work started in 2020.

Why the Regal Theatre is Special

On 24 March 1983, the cinema was added to the South Australian Heritage Register. This means it's a very important building. It's special for a few reasons:

• It's a rare example of an Art Deco cinema.
• It has an original cinema interior. This shows what movie-going was like when it was a huge hobby. Going to the pictures was a memorable experience back then.

Cool Features of the Cinema

The Regal Theatre has many interesting features:

• It has one large screen for showing movies.
• The back of the cinema complex has red brick walls.
• Inside the upstairs foyer, there's a copy of the 1941 Art Deco fireplace and mirror.
• The main foyer has comfy lounge seats and decorative columns.
• You can see carved designs in the foyer. There's also a ticket box made of wood and chrome.
• The cinema has a Dolby Digital "surround sound" system. This makes the movie sound amazing.
• It can project 70mm films, which are very high quality.
• There's a soundproofed "crying room" for parents with babies.
• Restaurants are located on both sides of the cinema entrance. There's also a public garden nearby.
• You can access the cinema carpark from Uxbridge Street and May Terrace.

As part of the 2020 refurbishment, over 500 new seats were put in. New carpets were laid, and the paintwork was refreshed.

What Happens at the Regal Theatre Today

In the 1980s, the cinema was famous for its Rocky Horror Picture Show screenings. They had two sessions, one late and one at midnight!

As of July 2020^[update], Steve Virgo manages the cinema. He has been an employee of Burnside Council since December 2016. The cinema shows new, first-release films. In recent years, it has also hosted live performances, including shows for the Adelaide Fringe festival.