Victoria Theatre
8-10 Perkins Street,
Newcastle,
NSW
2300
8-10 Perkins Street,
Newcastle,
NSW
2300
1 person
favorited this theater
Related Websites
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Hoyts Theatres
Styles: Neo-Classical
Nearby Theaters
This building was constructed in 1890 by the Victoria Theatre Company and used only for the stage performances. It began screening films from 15th July 1901, and during the silent era it was leased to Hoyts Theatres. They continued the stage facility but with the decline of the stage because of cinema use, new cinema facilities were added and the second balcony was removed in 1921. When the stage was needed the screen was ‘flown’. International stars appeared here, including the great tenor Richard Tauber, and the British D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, as well as touring sypmphony orchestras.
With the demise of the cinema Hoyts closed the Victoria Theatre on 30th March 1966 and the sloped stalls floor had another straight floor built above it and the place became Eastman’s clothes shop. The dress circle was untouched and in 1992 the original red velvet curtains were still hanging in the proscenium opening.
It continued in retail use until 1990 and was then boarded up. In November 2000, the Victoria Theatre was classified by the National Trust as a Historic Building. In 2018, restoration work began.
Contributed by
Gregory Lauder-Frost
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
My understanding is that the upper balcony only was removed, and some tinkering only with the huge dress circle/lounge. That does not constitute a rebuild of the whole building. It is the original 1890 structure. I went to check it out in January 1992 and it was all boarded up and sad.
I am inclined to say that the seating capacity as shown on the header must be wrong. The Victoria was a very large theatre, larger than the Regent Theatre at Islington, which had a capacity of 1600.
I also failed to say that if one looks up towards the top of the facade, the full date of construction is given – in stone.
A photograph of the Victoria Theatre in 2008:
View link
Three photographs of the Victoria Theatre I took in March 2010:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/5354200723/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/5354206567/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/5354823904/
The Victoria Theatre has been purchased by the same company that owns the Enmore and other theatres. It is to be redeveloped. http://www.theherald.com.au/story/3502346/new-buyer-plans-victoria-theatres-encore/ http://www.theherald.com.au/story/3862031/reviving-the-victoria-theatre/
I worked at this wonderful theatre as an assistant Projectionist for 7 years (1957 – 1964) I had the pleasure of running countless movies as well as working the Bo Spotlight for the various stage shows, such as the Tommy Steel Show, Grab me a Gondola(September 1959)and Many Happy Returns, which featured such artists as Gladys Moncrieff,Queenie Paul,George Wallace,Jim Gerald & Jenny Howard as well as Pardon My French. The projection box was situated where you see the window at the top of the middle arch looking at the front of the building.