The Screen On The Green facts for kids
The Everyman Screen on the Green is a cool movie theater in Islington, London. It faces a green park called Islington Green. This cinema opened way back in 1913, making it one of the oldest movie theaters in the UK that's still showing films! It's a great example of the special buildings made after the Cinematograph Act 1909 rules for cinemas.
You can easily spot it because its front is outlined in bright red neon lights. It also has a big canopy that shows what movies are playing and what fun events are coming up.
Since 2008, the cinema has been run by the Everyman Cinemas Group. They have other unique and comfy cinemas in London and nearby areas.
Now called the Everyman Screen on the Green, it shows all kinds of movies and special events. You can watch live shows from the National Theatre, Q&A sessions with filmmakers, and even film festivals! The cinema uses modern Sony Digital 4K projectors and awesome Dolby Digital surround sound for a great movie experience.
Contents
History of the Cinema
How it Started (1910–1913)
Movies first started showing at 83 Upper Street, Islington. Two brothers, the Pesaresi brothers, had their animated picture show in an empty shop there. It was very popular!
With help from Thomas Harrold, who owned the shop next door, they bought more shops. They knocked down the old buildings and built a brand new movie theater. It was designed by architects Boreham & Gladding and opened in October 1913.
The Empress Picture Theatre (1913–1951)
Soon after opening, the cinema was named The Empress Picture Theatre. It had one big room with seats for 600 people. When it first opened, it was considered very fancy.
Later, by the 1930s, it started to look a bit old. But it was still very popular, especially with local children, because tickets were cheap!
The Rex (1951–1970)
The Empress cinema closed for a while to get a makeover. It reopened in December 1951 with a new name: The Rex. It now had a few less seats, with space for 514 people.
The cinema also started a new, simple ticket price for all seats. At the opening ceremony, the Islington Air Training Corps played trumpets!
In the early 1960s, The Rex showed special films for the local Turkish community. These movies came all the way from Turkey and didn't have subtitles. Later, in the late 1960s, the local Greek community also showed Greek language films every Sunday. The Rex closed its doors on June 20, 1970.
The Screen On The Green (1970–present)
The cinema opened again on September 13, 1970, as The Screen On The Green. It was bought by Romaine Hart's Mainline Pictures Group.
In February 1981, it got another big update. They added a proper entrance area, which the original building didn't have. This changed the seating to 300. It was part of a small group of independent cinemas until 2008, when it joined the Everyman Media Group.
In December 2009, the cinema had its third major update. The biggest change was adding a full-size bar right inside the movie room! The seats were also replaced with comfy new ones, including plush two-seater sofas with footrests.
Even with all the changes, it still has its charming curved ceiling and its famous red curtain that still works. The outside of the building is also special, especially at night with its bright neon lights.
Live Events and Music
Besides showing movies, this cinema is famous for a special night on Sunday, August 29, 1976. Bands like The Clash and Buzzcocks played there, supporting The Sex Pistols. This was a very important music event! It was only The Clash's third ever concert, and it was the first time their music was recorded. It's also one of the earliest recordings of The Sex Pistols with Glen Matlock.
The Screen On The Green was also where Sid Vicious first performed with the Sex Pistols on April 3, 1977. The cinema is even mentioned in the song "Fall in" by Adam and the Ants, released in 1980.
When the cinema was updated in 2009, they added a full-size stage in front of the screen. This made it even better for live events. Since then, many famous comedians have performed there, including Stewart Lee, Stephen K Amos, and Phill Jupitus.
Getting There
The closest tube station is Angel tube station.
Images for kids
-
The Screen On The Green at night
