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Located on the corner of Brisbane Street and Earl Street, the Princess Theatre was commissioned and designed by Greek–Australian businessman Marino Lucas at a cost of £A15,000 in 1911.

The Princess was designed to be used exclusively as a “picture palace” and held capacity for 1,770 patrons (700 seats in the front stalls, 500 seats in the back stalls, 450 seats in the dress circle and 120 in the orchestra pit).

The stage was designed to accommodate first-class theatre productions, running the full width of the building, 21 by 18 metres (70 ft × 60 ft). The orchestra pit held ten professional musicians, known as the “Princess Symphony Orchestra”.

All the work, except the stamped metal ceilings, was completed by Messrs J & T Gunn in Launceston, including a feature Tasmanian Blackwood staircase, lighting, carpets and its proscenium, described in The Examiner as “strikingly handsome, bronze, gold wine colour, as well as delicate shades of green and blue”

Contributed by Greg Lynch -