Theatrical traditions: stage and screen in Bendigo

Theatrical traditions:
stage & screen
in Bendigo
1

a satellite space of
Bendigo Art Gallery
42 View Street
Bendigo, Victoria 3550
Australia
www.bendigoartgallery.com.au
Published 2015
Copyright © Bendigo Art Gallery 2015
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part
may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission.
Typeset and printed in Australia by Bendigo Modern Press
www.bmp.com.au
National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication data:
Needham, Clare
Theatrical traditions : stage and screen in Bendigo
Clare Needham ; introduction by Karen Quinlan; photography by Ian Hill
ISBN: 9780949215802 (pbk)
Theaters--Victoria--Bendigo--History.
Motion picture theaters--Victoria--Bendigo--History.
Bendigo (Vic.)--Buildings, structures, etc.--History.
Bendigo (Vic.)--History.
Other Creators/Contributors:
Quinlan, Karen, writer of introduction.
Hill, Ian, photographer.
Bendigo Art Gallery
725.82099454
Exhibition venue:
Post Office Gallery, 51-67 Pall Mall, Bendigo.
Exhibition dates:
16 October 2015 – 14 March 2016
Post Office Gallery and Bendigo Art Gallery are proudly
owned and operated by the City of Greater Bendigo.
2
Media sponsor
Projection room at the
Plaza Theatre (detail)
1967
black and white
photograph
Collection Michael
Purden

Theatrical traditions:
stage & screen
in Bendigo
1

2

Introduction
William
Mariner Bent
Australia fl.
1884-1891
Portrait of a woman
in amateur theatrical
costume, Sandhurst
(detail)
1870s
albumen print with
hand colouring, carte
de visite format
Collection Douglas
Stewart Fine Books
Photograph Tira
Lewis
The longevity and vibrancy of the
arts in Bendigo are fundamental
to the unique character of the city.
Along with the visual arts, the
performing arts continue to flourish,
building on the legacy of the past.
Recent investment in cultural
infrastructure including the 2013/14
Bendigo Art Gallery redevelopment
and the brand new Ulumbarra
Theatre only strengthen the richness
of this heritage.
The exhibition Theatrical traditions:
stage and screen in Bendigo explores key
moments, venues and people in the
evolution of theatrical entertainment
in Bendigo.
Post Office Gallery’s lenders
and supporters are an integral
part of the success of the Gallery
and each exhibition. For their
commitment to the preservation
of our region’s long and proud
history and their generosity in
sharing their knowledge, memories
and collections, thank you to: The
Cinema and Theatre Historical
Society of Australia Inc.; Bendigo
Historical Society; Bendigo Regional
Archive Centre, namely Dr Michele
Matthews; Bendigo Library; State
Library of Victoria; Eaglehawk
Heritage Society; Bendigo Theatre
Company; Douglas Stewart Fine
Books; Ron Bilitho, General
Manager, Bendigo Cinemas; Hannah
Morton, Manager and Stephen
Maber, projectionist, Star Cinema,
Eaglehawk; Kerry Andrea, Records
Officer, City of Greater Bendigo;
David Lloyd, Manager, Capital
Venues & Events; Rod Aikman;
Alfred Annison; Helen Attrill;
Ann Ball; Annette Beckwith;
Willi Carney; John Casey; Jenny
Campbell; Grace Cox; Coral Evans;
Julie Howard; Karl Jackson; Yvonne
Johanson; Aylene and Graeme
Kirkwood; Tom Luke; Antoinette
Lyon; Jocelyn Lyon; Ruth Lyon;
Michael Purden; Dennis O’Hoy;
Leighton and Sue Rawlings; Leigh
McKinnon; Margaret Rule-
McQueenie; Mick Stone; Ian Wild
and Darren Wright.
Thank you also to the Bendigo
Heritage Representative Group for
their ongoing support of Post Office
Gallery.
I’d particularly like to thank Clare
Needham, Curator, City History
and Collections for curating this
exhibition and for her ongoing
management of Post Office Gallery.
I acknowledge the technical team of
Bendigo Art Gallery for installing
the exhibiton and I wish to highlight
especially the Post Office Gallery
volunteers, who make a significant
contribution to visitors’ experience at
the Gallery.
KAREN QUINLAN
DIRECTOR, BENDIGO ART GALLERY
3

Theatrical traditions:
stage & screen in
Bendigo
Western theatrical traditions came
to Bendigo with fortune seekers in
the 1850s. 1 The growing population
and prosperity of the goldfields was
attractive to touring artists, companies
and theatrical entrepreneurs ensuring
that even amongst the dust of the
fledgling settlement, there was no
shortage of entertainment. Since then,
everything from amateur to professional,
Shakespeare, opera, music, vaudeville,
drama and comedy have graced the
many stages in Bendigo. The beginning
of the 20th century heralded the dawn of
motion pictures, which quickly became
the most popular form of entertainment.
Existing theatres promptly adapted and
numerous purpose built picture theatres
were constructed.
Despite the dominating popularity of
‘the pictures’, live theatre has remained
a constant in the evolving story of the
performing arts in Bendigo. Amateur
theatre companies, formed in the early
days of the city have paved the way
for contemporary community theatre,
which has continued to be a strong
creative force in the city with several
local companies operating for decades.
The new state-of-the-art, Ulumbarra
Theatre is the latest addition to the
city’s vibrant cultural scene, testament
to the continuing celebration of
theatrical traditions in Bendigo.
Endeavoring to cover nearly 165 years
of the theatrical history of a city like
Bendigo is quite a task. Needless to
say, in a short essay, it is not possible
to highlight every individual who
has contributed to this history nor
is it possible to go into detail about
the countless films screened or live
performances held at the numerous
venues across the city. For expediency,
this essay focuses on key moments,
places and people, attempting to briefly
chart the ebb and flow of the theatrical
landscape of Bendigo.
EARLY DAYS
One need only glance at the front
pages of the Bendigo Advertiser from
the early years of settlement to note the
rich diversity of the cities cultural life.
Appealing to a wide audience regardless
of affluence, live theatre was a popular
form of entertainment. In the early
days such entertainment took place in
tents. However, less than a decade after
gold was discovered in Bendigo, there
was a variety of establishments offering
everything from bawdy concert hall acts
to theatrical performances comparable
to those being performed on the stages
of London. 2
4

Benjamin Pierce
Batchelder
born United States
1826
arrived Australia 1856
died 1891
Theatre Royal,
Pall Mall, Bendigo
1861
albumen silver
photograph
Courtesy State
Library of Victoria
THE SHAMROCK HOTEL
In January 1854, Joseph Carncross,
owner of the Royal Exchange
Restaurant opened the Theatre Royal,
a large building on the site of the current
Shamrock Hotel. Despite the makeshift
nature of the burgeoning township,
there was already competition for
Carncross’ new theatre. A large tent
theatre, The Casino, was operating just
down the road also on Pall Mall. Later
in 1854, the Princess Theatre at the
Criterion Hotel and the Royal Victoria
opened in nearby Market Square. 3 By
August 1854, both the Royal Exchange
and the Theatre Royal were up for sale
and were subsequently purchased by
William Heffernan and his brother-inlaw
John Crowley. 4
Enterprising by nature, Heffernan
and Crowley erected a new hotel on
the site and established within it a
theatre, employing a regular company
of performers and an orchestra. The
Shamrock Concert Hall opened
on 31 March 1855. The ensuing
entertainment drew on the popularity
of British ‘Variety’ and ‘Music Hall’
amusements; a night of mixed acts
featuring singers, comedians, dancers,
actors and sometimes acrobats, or
magicians. Such amusements, appealed
to the working-class sensibilities of the
majority of the audience who attended
nightly performances.
The concert hall was a great success
and was quickly the most lucrative
part of the Shamrock enterprise. The
profits, primarily from the sale of
liquor, facilitated lavish entertainment
and enabled the establishment to offer
free entry to patrons and secure some
of the leading touring artists of the
day. Renovations and enlargement of
the hall took place in 1856, but on
Christmas Day of 1857, the Shamrock
was severely damaged by fire.
Renowned local architect William
Charles Vahland and his business
partner Robert Getzschmann were
employed to design a new building and
the hotel was re-built. The impressive
new three-storey Shamrock Hotel
was opened in 1860. During the redevelopment,
the concert hall was redesigned
to accommodate 800 people
and taking into account the changing
tastes of the increasingly cosmopolitan
audience, it was once again named, the
Theatre Royal.
THE CRITERION THEATRE
A few blocks away, the Princess
Theatre, capable of seating 300 people,
occupied the entire top floor of the
Criterion Hotel, which, as previously
mentioned, opened in Market Square
in 1854. 5 The hotel set a high standard
and quickly became the social hub of
5

6
Benjamin Pierce
Batchelder
born United States
1826
arrived Australia 1856
died 1891
Symonds’ Criterion
Family Hotel, Bendigo
1861
albumen silver
photograph
Courtesy State
Library of Victoria
Lola Montez
c1846 - c1861
Reproduction of
portrait painted
by order of King
Ludwig I of Bavaria
Reproduced
from the book
Seven Splendid Sinners
by W R H
Trowbridge
Courtesy State
Library of Victoria
‘cultured’ citizens. Henry Coleman,
respected for his enterprising spirit
and ability to procure high-quality
entertainment, managed the Princess
Theatre. While continuing in this role,
in 1856, Coleman built the Criterion
Theatre on a site adjoining the Hotel.
By contemporary standards the building
was rudimentary, but at the time its
scale alone would have been impressive.
With a capacity of 1500, according to
the Bendigo Advertiser and Coleman’s
supporters, the new theatre was
‘unparalleled for comfort and elegance
in the colony...’and ‘unrivalled by
any Colonial Provincial Theatre…’ 6
By 1857, the Criterion Theatre had
been re-named the Haymarket Theatre,
and surprisingly, only four years later,
it was sold at auction and subsequently
demolished. 7
The most legendary performer to grace
the stage at the Criterion was actress
Lola Montez. 8 Born Marie Dolores
Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, the Irish dancer
and actress became famous as Lola
Montez the ‘Spanish dancer’. She
received mixed reviews throughout
her checkered theatrical career.
Montez toured the goldfields of
Australia in 1855 – 56. Her antics,
both on and off stage, gained her quite
a reputation and her arrival in Bendigo
in March 1856 was highly anticipated.
Many attended her performances out
of sheer curiosity; others were intent
on witnessing her legendary risqué
‘Spider Dance’. 9 One of the most
notable events during Montez’s time
in Bendigo was on 1 April when the
Criterion was struck by lightening
during her performance. The
lightening entered the building and set
fire to some of the scenery. 10 Montez
remained in Bendigo for several
months. Addressing the audience at
the end of one of her performances
declaring that she ‘…would not soon
forget the kindness she met with on
Bendigo’. 11
ABBOTT’S LYCEUM
Abbott’s Hotel, operating in the early
days of Bendigo, was a two-storey
building near the corner of Bull Street
and Pall Mall. Attached to the hotel
was a small theatre known as the
Lyceum. By 1860, Abbott had closed
the adjoining theatre and re-built it.
The ambitious New Lyceum Theatre
opened on the 10 December 1860.
With a capacity of 1500, it boasted
a large stage framed by an equally
generous proscenium. 12 The launching
act was Signor and Signorina Bianchi
performing the opera Il Travatore.
The Lyceum was the most well
regarded theatre in Bendigo at the

7

8
First Benefit on
Sandhurst of the
sisters Ada &
Fanny Hart at the
Lyceum Theatre,
theatre ticket
1869
lithographic print
Collection Rod
Aikman
Image courtesy
Douglas Stewart
Fine Books
Photograph
Tira Lewis
time. Unlike the variety entertainment
that was common at establishments like
the Shamrock, the Lyceum’s program
included opera, Shakespeare and other
plays from the English repertoire
attracting a more cultured audience.
Chinese opera was also performed
annually at the Lyceum, often in aid
of the Asylum or Hospital. 13 Despite
its reputation and achievements, in
1872, like those before it, the Lyceum
closed.
ST JAMES’ HALL
In the 1870s with the closing of
the Lyceum and the increasing
sophistication of theatre-goers, there
was growing concern about the need
for a first-class theatre worthy of a city
such as Bendigo. Heffernan’s solution
was to build St James Hall on a narrow
site directly opposite The Shamrock
Hotel. 14 The Bendigo Philharmonic
Society opened the hall on 8 April
1873 with a performance of Handel’s
Judas Maccabeus. 15 The venture was
short lived however, as Heffernan put
his energy into the construction of the
Royal Princess Theatre just up the hill
on View Street.
THE ROYAL PRINCESS THEATRE
The Royal Princess Theatre opened
on 31 August 1874 with a performance
of The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein just
months after its Paris premier. 16 Situated
on View Street, the theatre was designed
by Vahland and Getzschmann. 17 With
a seating capacity of 2000 spread across
three levels and six stage boxes, its scale
and elegance rivaled capital city theatres
and successfully satisfied community
aspirations for a premium theatre.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries
everything from vauderville to classical
theatrical productions, pantomimes,
vocal and music recitals, opera, ballet
and elocutionary competitions were
presented on the Royal Princess’ stage
with a constant stream of reputed local,
national and international artists and
touring companies to sustain them.
Many well-known performers stopped
off in Bendigo to perform at the Royal
Princess Theatre on their Australian
tours. 18
One such celebrity was Dame Nellie
Melba who performed in Bendigo on
several occasions. Her first visit was in
February 1889, her second in 1908.
During this second visit, like many
of her colleagues, Melba stayed at the
most reputable accommodation of
the day, the Shamrock Hotel. Legend
has it that she was so irritated by the
constant chiming of the Post Office
clock opposite her window, she asked
for the clock to be stopped so she could
get some sleep. Her last appearance
in Bendigo was a farewell concert at

W Vincent Kelly
Australia
active 1904 – 1958
Miss Dolly Castles as
Phyllis in Iolanthe
c1906
postcard
Talma & Co.
Melbourne & Sydney
c1895 - c1915
Dolly Castles
c1906
postcard, paint, glitter
Amy Castles
c1906
postcard
Collection Dennis
O’Hoy
the Royal Princess on 23 September
1921.
Well-known local soprano Amy Castles
also performed at the Royal Princess in
the early 20th century. Over the years,
much talent has hailed from Bendigo,
yet few have lived on in collective
memory like Amy Castles. 19 One of
her earliest public performances was in
a Bendigo production of Gilbert and
Sullivan’s Patience in 1898. And at the
age of 19 she performed at Queen’s
Hall, London. 20
At the turn of the century, a career
in the theatre had become more
acceptable for women. Once
associated with loose morals (think
Lola Montez), thanks to pioneering
female performers, such as Dame
Nellie Melba, exploiting musical talent
became a legitimate way of gaining
financial independence and celebrity. 21
Throughout her career, Amy Castles
was often compared to Melba, but
despite being enthusiastically received
by audiences in Australia and overseas,
and energetically promoted by the
press, she never quite achieved the
same success and stopped performing
publically in the 1930s. 22
Deemed to be unsafe by the Board
of Health, in January 1904 the Royal
Princess closed to undergo renovations.
It re-opened in April the following
year and continued with a full and
varied program including motion
pictures until its eventual closure and
demolition in 1963.
THE MASONIC THEATRE
Opening just two months after the
Royal Princess in 1874 and situated just
up the hill on the other side of View
Street, was the Masonic Hall (now
the Capital Theatre). The Golden
and Corinthian Masonic Lodges
had purchased the land at an 1866
Government auction. The foundation
stone was laid on 24 June 1873 and
the striking building completed the
following year. Designed by Vahland 23
and Getzschmann, it was touted at the
time, as ‘... the finest Masonic Hall in
Australia … [with] the advantage of
having been erected on the very best
site of the city, and … seen from every
point for a long distance’. 24
Public access was restricted to the
downstairs ‘Tavern’ (later known
as the ‘Masonic Shades Hotel’) 25
and an upstairs room was used as a
ballroom and concert hall. An array
of entertainment was provided in the
upstairs space, including opera, plays,
lectures, recitals and balls. Later with
the advent of the ‘picture show’, silent
movies were also screened here.
In 1890, a time many saw as the
golden years of live theatre in
Bendigo, the Masons undertook
9

10
Masonic Theatre,
View Street
1909
postcard
Collection Dennis
O’Hoy
a major refurbishment and the
Masonic Theatre was built. A strip
of land running between the original
building and the adjacent fire
brigade property was purchased and
Vahland and Getzschmann were once
again commissioned to design the
amendments which included reversing
the original configuration of the
ballroom and concert hall to transform
it into a more suitable theatre with a
large proscenium and a new stage.
On the opening day 2 April 1890, the
Bendigo Advertiser reported:
The new Masonic Hall Theatre,
which will be formally opened this
evening, will meet a long felt want
in this city, particularly for concerts
and light dramatic entertainments,
for which the Royal Princess
Theatre is altogether too large. Its
central position to the population,
combined with the fact that it one of
the prettiest and best-appointed little
theatres to be met with in any of the
principal towns, should make it a
convenient and favorite resort to the
amusement loving public…that the
house will be packed to overflowing
is not too much to prophesy. 26
The theatre’s name was changed to the
New Britannia in 1912 and the Capital
Theatre in the 1930s.
OPEN AIR PICTURE THEATRES
By the beginning of the 20th century,
The Masonic and Royal Princess
Theatres had quickly embraced the
phenomenon of moving pictures with
the former host to some of the first
film screenings in Bendigo courtesy
of pioneering travelling picture showmen.
27 Such films were black and
white and silent with live musical
accompaniment; a single piano or a full
orchestra.
An immediate hit with audiences
moving pictures transitioned quickly
from being a novelty, sometimes
screened as filler between Vaudeville
acts, to being the main event. It did
not take long for ‘picture shows’ to
become a permanent fixture in the
daily amusements columns of the
Bendigo Advertiser. As well as the two
major theatres in town, films were also
screened in municipal halls, mechanics
institutes and several open-air venues.
As early as 1908, well-known
Australian theatre promoters, J & N
Tait, who had gained a reputation
touring celebrities such as Amy Castles
around the country, were showing
films in Bendigo. 28 In March 1909,
they took up a short-term lease at the
Royal Princess Theatre and a year later
opened the Tivoli open-air theatre
behind the ANA Hall on View Street.

Pathé
France 1896 – current
Hand cranked reel-to-reel
film projector with 35mm
film on two reels
c1913
metal, plastic, leather
Collection Michael
Purden
11

‘...films at His Majesty’s
were typically screened
every evening at 8pm,
accompanied by the
house orchestra.’
A full orchestra accompanied the films
and if the weather was poor films were
screened at the Royal Princess.
Preceding the Tivoli on 10 November
1909, theatrical entrepreneur, TJ
West of West’s Pictures opened
His Majesty’s Open-air Theatre on
Market Street. In the lead up to the
highly anticipated event, the Bendigo
Advertiser reported:
Mr. Joseph Howard, representative
of the world-famed West’s Pictures,
arrived in Bendigo on Saturday
night to make arrangements for the
opening of His Majesty’s Open-air
Theatre… He brings with him the
latest and most up-to-date electric
motor plant, which will supply
the light for the projection of the
pictures… Mr. T. J. West means
to out do all previous attempts at
moving pictures in this city, so the
lovers of this class of entertainment
may look forward to a treat. The
screen, which will be used, is said to
be the largest in Australia. 29
Much like Tait’s Pictures at the Tivoli,
films at His Majesty’s were typically
screened every evening at 8pm,
accompanied by the house orchestra. If
it was wet the program was screened at
an indoor venue such as the Masonic
Theatre. West’s Pictures also screened
films at Jeffrey’s Hall, Eaglehawk and
Tait’s Pictures at the Eaglehawk Town
Hall.
In February 1911, thanking the
Bendigo public for their generous
support over their first 16 months
of operation, the then proprietors
of West’s Pictures at His Majesty’s
Theatre published an announcement in
the Bendigo Advertiser revealing they
had taken a long lease on a premises
on Pall Mall formerly known as the
Olympia Skating Rink. They intended
to re-seat and decorate the building in
‘first class style’ to transform it into a
‘modern Picture House’ which would
be called ‘The Lyric Theatre’. The
announcement concluded with the
following statement: ‘From this date
should the weather be unfavorable
for outdoor expositions, West’s
Pictures will be screened in the above
theatre’. 30
THE LYRIC THEATRE
The Lyric Theatre on Pall Mall opened
in April 1911. Later that year, alongside
live theatrical acts, moving pictures
were screened at the theatre not just if
it was cold or wet, but as a permanent
feature. The said proprietors continued
to run both the Lyric and His Majesty’s
theatres.
12

Vincent Kelly
Australia
active 1904 – 1958
Grand opening of the
Lyric Theatre, Charing
Cross
1913
Reproduced from the
Bendigo Advertiser
Courtesy Darren
Wright
Despite competing with several other
picture theatres in town, the business
fared well and a new site just a few
blocks down Pall Mall at Charing
Cross was procured to build a brand
new purpose-built theatre for screening
films. The first of its kind in Bendigo
the new Lyric Theatre, operated by
Lyric Photo Plays Ltd, opened on
Monday 24 February 1913, with a
screening of The Midnight Wedding. 31
Well-known Bendigo family, the
Favaloro’s, operated a concession stand
on the ground floor, which was also
the box office. 32
Designed by local architects Keogh
and Austen, upon opening, the Lyric
was considered the most modern and
spacious regional theatre in the State.
With both Charing Cross and Bath
Lane frontage, it seated 1600 people
and even though its interior was not
as lavish as other theatres in town,
it showed excellent films, ensuring
it quickly became an audience
favourite.
NEW TECHNOLOGIES
The Lyric continued to screen a steady
stream of silent films with musical
accompaniment until the introduction
of sound on film in 1929. Embracing
the new ‘talkies’, in 1930, a state-ofthe-art,
Western Electric sound system
was installed and the first ‘talkie’, Song
of My Heart starring John McCormick,
screened at the Lyric.
A couple of months earlier, on Easter
Saturday, the first ‘talkies’ opened at
the Princess Theatre with the film The
Desert Song. At this stage, sound was not
embedded in the film stock, but was
played from a record on an attachment
at the back of the projector. If a piece
of film needed to be removed due to
fault or burn, a piece of blank film had
to be inserted in order for the sound
and vision to remain in sync. 33
The introduction of sound on film
triggered a re-evaluation of cinema
design and acoustics became a
fundamental consideration. Due to
its dated design for cinema use, the
Princess Theatre was closed for remodeling
in October 1936. The
architectural firm employed to rethink
its design was Cowper, Murphy
and Appleford who chose to replace
the existing decorative interior with
the clean lines and simplified surfaces
of Art Deco. The new-look Princess
opened on 4 December 1936 with a
screening of Front Page Woman.
Keeping up with the competition,
designed by Melbourne architects
Taylor, Soilleux and Overend, in
1934 extensive alterations also took
place at the Lyric converting it into a
13

15
15

16
Previous page:
Commercial
Photographic Co.
20th century
Exterior view of the
Princess Theatre, View
Street
1936
black and white
photograph
Courtesy Harold
Paynting Collection,
State Library of
Victoria
Lyle Fowler
Australia 1891 – 1969
Exterior view of the
Plaza Theatre, Mitchell
Street
1936
black and white
photograph
Courtesy Harold
Paynting Collection,
State Library of
Victoria
comfortable up-to-date picture theatre.
Modern conveniences such as heating
and cooling were installed including
heated foot-warmers; purported to be
the best method of maintaining the
body at a consistent temperature! 34
The biggest development to
revolutionalise the film industry since
sound on film was CinemaScope.
In 1954 the Lyric became the first
independent theatre in Victoria to
install the widescreen technology and
in September of that year, launched
with a highly anticipated gala event,
including a screening of The Robe. The
CinemaScope system was developed in
Hollywood by 20th Century-Fox and
resulted in an image that was almost
two and a half times as wide as it was
high. A new ‘miracle mirror screen’
was installed at the Lyric to cater for the
new CinemaScope films. Soon after,
the Royal Princess and Plaza Theatre
just across Bath Lane from the Lyric,
followed suit refurbishing to incorporate
the new widescreen technology.
PLAZA THEATRE
The Plaza Theatre opened with a
gala event on 28 December 1934. In
addition to the feature movie Little
Miss Marker starring Shirley Temple
and the associate feature We’re Not
Dressing starring Bing Crosby, the
highlight was the newsreel showing
the wedding of the Duke of Kent. 35 In
the inaugural program, addressing the
citizens of Bendigo, Managing Director
JL Thornley wrote:
Proudly we present to you a temple
dedicated to the best in motion
picture entertainment. My company
has endeavoured to give you a
theatre that Bendigo will be proud
to own. Our ideal has been founded
on comfortable, healthy and pleasant
surroundings, with special attention
to ventilation, cooling and heating
and strict cleanliness. We have
endeavoured to build a Theatre that
will be a happy rendezvous for each
and everyone of you – every week
in the year. 36
The Plaza was located on a narrow strip
of land on the corner of Mitchell Street
and Bath Lane with the main entrance
on Mitchell Street. 37 The theatre was
designed by the architecture firm
Cowper, Murphy and Appleford (the
same firm which had designed the
refurbishment of the Princess) and had
a seating capacity of 1164. Unlike the
popular Art Deco style of the Princess
and most other picture theatres being
built at the time, the interior of the
Plaza was elaborately embellished in an
opulent Neo-Gothic style.

Michael Purden in the
Plaza Theatre projection
room
1960
black and white
photograph
Department of
Public Health
Victoria 1921 –
current
Cinematograph
Operators Regulations,
Approval of a Trainee,
Michael Purden
1960s
card, paper, ink
Collection Michael
Purden
17

18
The Rose
Stereograph Co.
Armadale, Victoria
1880 - current
Eaglehawk Town Hall,
the Rose series p3143
1918
postcard
Collection Dennis
O’Hoy
Retired projectionist Michael Purden
began his career at The Plaza at the age
of 15. Eager to get a job in the theatre,
he remembers pestering the managers
of the Plaza, Lyric and Princess to
initially get a job as a lolly boy carrying
a tray of lollies and ice-creams around
the auditorium during interval. The
manager of The Plaza gave him a shot
and from his lolly boy beginnings, in
1959, he became a trainee projectionist.
Moving from The Plaza to the Golden
Drive-In in 1962, he completed his
training, sitting for his full operator’s
license when he turned 21. Michael
remained working as a projectionist
until he retired in 2009. 38 He was one
of six long serving projectionists at The
Plaza including Bob Johnson, Perc
Woodyard, Max Morse, John Leggo
and Ken Hill.
As initially hoped, The Plaza was a
popular theatre and many who grew
up in Bendigo have fond memories
of ’going to the pictures’ there. Jack
Campbell affectionately known as
‘Plaza Jack’ features in many of these
memories. Campbell worked at The
Plaza for more than 25 years, bill
posting, working in the projection
room and acting as a bouncer keeping
rowdy kids in line. Theatre and film
were his life.
EAGLEHAWK PICTURES
Moving pictures were being shown in
Eaglehawk from the time they arrived
in Bendigo. As mentioned earlier, in
the early 1900s, West’s Pictures and
later Lyric Photo Plays Ltd as well as
Tait’s Pictures screened films in various
locations in Eaglehawk, namely the
Town Hall. Films were regularly
screened here until the 1950s.
When he was a boy, Eaglehawk
resident Graeme Kirkwood went to the
pictures at the Eaglehawk Town Hall
every Saturday night. He remembers
getting up to all sorts of mischief with
his friends in the theatre like playing
hide and seek and flicking balls of paper
at the screen with a slingshot; an antic
that once saw him banned from the
theatre for 12 months.
He remembers before the feature
started there was always a cartoon and
after the first feature an interval, and
then a second film was played. At this
time, the Eaglehawk pictures were run
in conjunction with the Lyric who
supplied the films. The first film shown
on the program in Bendigo was the
second shown in Eaglehawk and vice
versa. The reels were exchanged during
interval travelling out to Eaglehawk
and back into Bendigo by tram or
motorbike. Graeme remembers many
nights when the tram was running

Speaker box from
the Golden Drive-In
Theatre
1950s
aluminium, paint,
electrical wire
Collection Leighton
and Sue Rawlings
Miller
Melbourne 20th
century
Golden Drive-In
Theatre tickets
1959 – 60
paper, ink
Collection Eaglehawk
Heritage Society
late and the interval seemed to go on
forever. During intervals, he and his
friends often descended upon local
businesses like Miss Varcoe’s Milk Bar
across the road from the Town Hall
where they would buy Fantales, a Dixie
cup or a box of scorched almonds,
which were a real treat! 39
THE GOLDEN DRIVE-IN
Another popular destination was
the Golden Drive-In. Following the
opening of the Skyline Drive-In in
Burwood, Melbourne in 1954, driveins
popped up all over the country.
The first and only one of its kind in
the Bendigo area, the Golden Drive-In
located at the corner of Crook Street
and St Aiden’s Rd, opened to the
public on 8 December 1955.
Proprietor of the Golden Drive-
In, Kevin Houlahan, knew that in a
city like Bendigo, such an enterprise
would take off. The genius of the
Drive-In was in giving the car-loving
public another activity to do in their
vehicles. Admittance in those days was
4/- (four shillings) for an adult and 1/-
(one shilling) for a child. 40 Despite its
affordability, there are many stories of
people hiding in the boot of a car to
catch a free film; others jumped the
fence or parked in a particular spot
just outside the complex and although
saving on the ticket price, watched the
movie in silence. 41
The audio for the film played
through a speaker hooked onto the
car window. When the Drive-In first
opened in addition to the volume
knob, these speakers had a small switch
used to summon a ‘tray boy’ to take
refreshment orders. This service was
particularly inefficient and was short
lived. The design of the speakers
continued to change until audiences
could eventually tune in to a particular
frequency on their car radio to listen to
the film’s audio.
In comparison to the amount of films
able to be shown at the indoor theatres
in town, the Golden Drive-In could
only show one film a night. This meant
fewer ticket sales and therefore last pick
of current films on the market. As a
rule, in order to sell as many tickets as
possible, movie studios sent their ‘firstruns’
to indoor theaters and Drive-ins
were often left with ‘second-runs’ as
well as ‘B-grade’ or R-rated films. This
in addition to technological and social
changes eventually led to the demise
and closure of the Golden Drive-In
on 3 February 1985. By this stage,
the land was prime real estate and was
subsequently subdivided and sold off as
housing lots.
19

20
Henderson Sweets
Limited
‘Sweetacres’ (Sydney
1918 – 1968)
Fantales box
1950s
printed card
Collection John
Casey
PICTURE THEATRES IN DECLINE
The impact that television (and later
VHS) has had on cinema has been
well documented. Despite people still
enjoying films on the big screen and the
novelty of the Drive-In, it cannot be
denied that the ubiquitous adoption of
home entertainment technologies has
changed the habits of the movie-going
public forever. Bendigo’s first television
station BCV8 opened in 1962 and
while the three major picture theatres
and the Golden Drive-In continued
to operate, audiences quickly declined
and not long after, the Lyric, and the
Royal Princess closed.
In April 1963, along with several
adjoining shops, the Royal Princess was
sold to American oil company Amoco.
Much to the consternation of many
locals, that same year, the theatre was
demolished and replaced by a service
station. The last film to be screened
was The Guns of Navarone on 4 May. 42
The company Wheelan the Wrecker
commenced demolition of the theatre
on 1 July 1963. Local man Leighton
Rawlings remembers the day well.
Back when I was in high school I
had a paper run around Bendigo. In
‘63 I’m riding down View Street and
its about 5:15am and here in View
Street … are ‘Wheelan the Wrecker’
cranes, there were about three of
them and they had the big wrecking
balls on, and they’re just swinging
these balls in and smashing down
walls and everything and it was the
Princess Theatre … by the time I
came along … they had probably
all the corner and a section of the
theatre already smashed down …
What a shocking waste. 43
The Lyric Theatre was put up for
auction in August 1965. It was passed
in for private sale and the building
ceased to operate as a cinema. The
last film, Mr Hobbs takes a Vacation
was screened on 4 September 1965.
In July 1967, the unoccupied building
was almost completely gutted by fire
and was eventually demolished. The
contemporary Bendigo Bank building
now stands in its place.
The Plaza Theatre was the last of the
three major picture theatres in Bendigo
to close. Kevin Houlahan and partners,
who also owned the Golden Drive-In,
leased the Plaza from the mid-1960s.
Ten years on, deciding not to renew
their lease, the partnership built the
Golden Twin Cinema (now Bendigo
Cinemas). The Golden Twin opened
on 20 December 1975, the day the
Plaza closed. The last films screened
at the Plaza on that day, were Fists of
Fury and The Chinese Connection, both
starring Bruce Lee.

The Chocolate Soldier,
theatre program
1953
paper, ink
Collection Bendigo
Historical Society
CONTEMPORARY CINEMA
The Golden Twin was purpose-built
for screening films, although they
occasionally dabbled in the presentation
of live entertainment, including live
music events and on one occasion
back-to-back performances by the
popular hypnotist Martin St James. One
of the first films screened was Steven
Spielberg’s Jaws. Since then thousands
of films have been screened at the now
eight-cinema complex. Despite the
continually changing habits of cinema
audiences, people still enjoy watching
films on the big screen. Bendigo
Cinema, which has just undergone a
major refurbishment, currently screens
up to 34 sessions a day. 44
The other cinema still operating in the
area is the Star Cinema in Eaglehawk.
As mentioned, films were screened
regularly at the Eaglehawk Town
Hall until the 1950s. In September
1999 an enterprising woman, Joan
Rodger once again opened a cinema
in the Town Hall. Couches replaced
traditional theatre seats and a liquor
license allowed people to enjoy a drink
while watching films. The cinema
garnered community support and upon
Joan’s retirement, a passionate group
of locals banded together to form the
Star Community Cinema Association
and took on its management. The
cinema reopened in April 2005 and
continues to operate as a not-forprofit
community-owned project with
employed staff supported by a team of
volunteers. The Star’s program focuses
on independent, arthouse films and
crossover cinema releases and still
utilises the original projection room
from the early 20th century. 45
COMMUNITY TRADITIONS
There is a strong tradition of
community action and homegrown
theatre companies in Bendigo. As early
as 1857, groups such as the Sandhurst
Amateur Dramatic Club were giving
charity performances. The opening of
the Royal Princess Theatre in 1874
gave a boost to the local scene. The
regularity of a premium theatre hosting
a steady stream of world-class acts,
helped to encourage local interest in
the performing arts and burgeoning
amateur groups fostered local talent.
Toward the middle of the 20th century,
the local appetite for live theatre
waned and due to the overwhelming
popularity of ‘the pictures’, very few
live performances were staged at the
Royal Princess between 1930 and
50. For a short period in the 1950s
live performance enjoyed a short
renaissance at the Princess. 46
21

‘Joseph and the
Amazing technicolor
Dreamcoat marked
the company’s 100th
musical production..’
22
At the same time, the Bendigo
Theatre Company (formally Bendigo
Operatic Society) began presenting
regular performances at the Capital
Theatre. Established in 1952, they
first performed The Chocolate Soldier,
continuing to stage two or three
musical theatre pieces a year until the
Capital closed in the 1970s. In the early
1980s, the Society changed its name to
the Bendigo Theatre Company and
continued to perform on ancillary
stages across Bendigo. In 1991, they
staged the musical South Pacific making
their ‘triumphant return’ to the Capital
stage. Their June 1997 performance
of Joseph and the Amazing technicolor
Dreamcoat marked the company’s 100th
musical production. 47
Over the years, countless locals have
dedicated passion and energy to the
longevity and success of community
theatre in Bendigo. In addition to
the Bendigo Theatre Company, local
companies such as CT Productions,
Bendigo Theatre and Arts Inc (formally
Bendigo Community Theatre)
continue to maintain a high profile
in the community impacting not only
audiences, but also generations of
performers and support crew.
BENDIGO REGIONAL ARTS CENTRE
As mentioned, performances continued
to take place at the Capital until the
aging theatre closed to the public in the
1970s. With the Princess demolished
and the Capital closed, local audiences
and theatre companies were left with
few options. Despite their tenacity to
keep local theatre alive, alternative
venues were inadequate. The need
for a premier theatre in Bendigo was
once again apparent. The idea of a
Regional Arts Centre was flagged and
passionately lobbied. What ensued over
the following decade was a political
battle that polarised the community. 48
In the mid-1970s, several sites were
considered for the Arts Centre,
including the old Plaza theatre and
a site incorporating the Shamrock
Hotel. By the middle of the 1980s, the
Capital Theatre had been identified
as the most suitable site and its
restoration and reopening became the
focus of passionate local campaigners.
A Community Arts Working Party
was formed and consensus between
the five Bendigo municipalities to
purchase the Capital building and
support the enterprise was sought.
The State Government committed

Costume doll, ‘Gertrude Perry
to remind you of Lady Holyrool
- Florodora’
1954
fabric, wire, ink, wool, paper
Costume doll, ‘Gertrude
Perry to remind you of
Nina – Wildflower’
1956
fabric, wire, ink, wool,
paper
Collection Bendigo
Historical Society
The Geisha, theatre program
1968
paper, ink
Pat Lyon Collection. Bendigo
Regional Archive Centre
The Geisha, theatre ticket and
envelope
1968
paper, ink
Collection Aylene Kirkwood
23

24
Save the Bendigo Arts
Centre, campaign poster
c1986
card, ink
Pat Lyon Collection.
Bendigo Regional
Archive Centre
money on a dollar-by-dollar basis to
the project, but the municipalities
were divided.
Despite supporting the need for such a
community space, Bendigo and Huntly
councilors remained unconvinced
of the Capital’s suitability and had
concerns about financial viability.
They dug their heels in while the other
three municipalities forged ahead. In
1986 Marong purchased the old Fire
Station building adjacent to the Capital.
The following year, the Borough
of Eaglehawk paid the deposit and
signed the documents to purchase the
Capital site from the Masons. Working
with Strathfieldsaye and Marong they
secured the physical foundation of a
Regional Arts Centre. Stage One of
a two-stage process to restore and reinstate
the theatre, began in 1988 and
by May 1989 Stage One was launched.
By now Bendigo council had come on
board and pledged money to see Stage
Two through to completion. Fully
restored with a significantly upgraded
auditorium seating 500, the Bendigo
Regional Arts Centre was officially
opened on 26 April 1991. Professional
live theatre would once again flourish
and be enjoyed by audiences.
ULUMBARRA THEATRE
Despite its achievements, as time passed,
it became apparent that the Capital
lacked the technical and seating capacity
required to cater for the growing and
increasingly culturally dynamic city
of Bendigo. In answering a long held
desire of many in the community, a
new state-of-the-art 1000-seat theatre
opened earlier this year on the site of
the former Bendigo Gaol. Funded by
federal, state and local government,
the multi-purpose theatre complex
Ulumbarra is the result of a partnership
between the City of Greater Bendigo
and the Education Department on
behalf of Bendigo Senior Secondary
College.
In the language of the local Dja
Dja Wurrung people, Ulumbarra,
means ‘gather together’ and ‘meeting
place’. Like so many theatres before
it, it aspires to create a place for the
community to come together for an

Courtesy Ulumbarra
Theatre
array of performances and events that
will entertain, challenge and enlighten
them. At a time when there is little
investment in cultural infrastructure
in regional Australia, the new theatre
is a coup for Bendigo. Much like the
Princess Theatre at the turn of the
century and more recently, the Capital,
Ulumbarra is set to carry on cultivating
local interest in the performing arts and
inspire generations of local talent. 49
CONCLUSION
Theatre is a notoriously unpredictable
business, affected by local economies
and social and cultural trends. Over the
decades, this reality has seen countless
theatres come and go in Bendigo. In
spite of this there has never been a
time when Bendigonians have lacked
some form of theatrical entertainment.
Contemporary audiences are still spoilt
for choice.
As the city grows, the theatrical
landscape continues to evolve.
Although the sense of occasion
associated with ‘going to the pictures’
in the 20th century has changed,
audiences’ insatiable appetite for the
moving image has not. Contemporary
technology has enabled universal access
to film beyond the walls of traditional
theatres and people still enjoy watching
films on the big screen.
People also still enjoy the physicality
of the performing arts and Bendigo
continues to showcase a myriad of
live performance including drama,
dance and music. While not always
the case, the performing arts now
has strong council support with both
the Capital and Ulumbarra theatres
owned and operated by the City of
Greater Bendigo, ensuring ongoing
sustainability and a bright future for
theatre in Bendigo.
Clare Needham, Curator, City
History and Collections
25

notes
1 Originally known as Bendigo Creek,
the settlement was officially known as
Sandhurst until 1891 when it was named
Bendigo. For the purposes of this essay,
Bendigo will be used throughout to avoid
confusion.
2 In a letter to the London publication
The Era written on the 17 August 1859,
Professor John Henry Anderson (the
Wizard of the North) describes in detail, his
personal experience of ‘all things theatrical’
in Bendigo and surrounds. Published in The
Era, London, England on Sunday, October
23 1859. Issue 1100. Sourced from the
British Library through the Historic British
Newspapers Collection, Gale News Vault
online database. Available through many
public libraries.
3 In these days, the area near the current
Bendigo Town Hall was referred to as
‘Market Square’.
4 Frank Cusack, The History of Hotel
Shamrock, Bendigo Historical Society,
2010. pg 3
5 With the express purpose of selling the
business, a full description of the wellappointed
building appeared in the
Bendigo Advertiser, 16 October 1855.
pg 4
6 Coleman’s Criterion Theatre, Mundy
Street, Bendigo Advertiser, Thursday 21
February 1856. pg 1
7 Bendigo Advertiser, 9 August 1861. pg
2. The adjacent Criterion Hotel was
demolished in 1910.
8 There is some discrepancy over the
spelling of Montez. In some contexts it
is spelt with an ‘s’ rather than a ‘z’. The
more common of the two is Montez with
a ‘z’.
9 Coleman’s Criterion Theatre, Bendigo
Advertiser, 25 March 1856. pg 3
10 Coleman’s Criterion Theatre struck by
lightning, Bendigo Advertiser, 3 April,
1856. pg 3
11 Coleman’s Criterion Theatre, Bendigo
Advertiser, 1 April 1856. pg 3
12 The proscenium is the wall in a theater
that separates the stage from the audience
and provides the arch that frames the
activity on the stage. The Proscenium is
often highly decorated and was the most
common form of theatre design in the
18th - 20th centuries.
13 The Chinese Opera Theatre Company
was formed in c1860 by Fok Sing,
headman of the Ironbank Camp. It
travelled around Victoria to the different
Chinese camps.
14 The Myer department store building now
occupies this site.
15 George Mackay, The History of Bendigo,
Mackay and Co, Bendigo, 1891. pg 173
16 Bendigo Advertiser, 31 August 1874. pg 2
17 This site, on the corner of Mackenzie
and View Streets, is now occupied by
the Rural Finance building and adjoining
series of shops.
18 For a comprehensive outline of the
history of live performance at the Princess
Theatre see Beverly J Walker, The
Princess on View – A history of the Princess
Theatre Bendigo (1874 – 1963), Vol 1, self
published, 2012
19 Amy Castles moved with her family to
Bendigo in 1880. In her youth she attended
St Kilian’s primary school and then St
Mary’s College. The Castles children
were all musical; in particular Amy’s
sister Ethel (known as Dolly) who was a
renowned opera singer both in Australia
and overseas.
20 Thérèse Radic, Castles, Amy Eliza
(1880–1951), Australian Dictionary of
Biography, National Centre of Biography,
Australian National University, http://
adb.anu.edu.au/biography/castles-amyeliza-5530/text9419,
published first
in hardcopy 1979, accessed online 6
September 2015
21 Jeff Brownrigg, Sir John Quick Lecture,
Footprints on the Sands of Time: Bendigo
citizens, the 1909 Bendigonian Annual and
Community History published by La Trobe
University, Bendigo, 2002. pg 8
22 For an examination of the historical
context and career of Amy Castles see Jeff
Brownrigg’s 2002 Sir John Quick Lecture
as above.
23 As a Freemason and one-time Master of
Bendigo’s Golden Lodge, Vahland was
an obvious choice as architect for the
Masonic Hall.
24 Bendigo Advertiser, Thursday 22 October
1874. pg 2
25 This is now the Basement on View Café.
26 Bendigo Advertiser 2 April 1890. pg 3
26

27 Enterprising ‘picture show men’ travelled
across the country in the early 20th
century showing silent films at indoor and
outdoor venues in cities and small country
towns. See the 1977 Australian film The
Picture Show Man for further insights into
the life of such men.
28 The entrepreneurial Tait brother’s
wholeheartedly embraced the new
theatrical medium. As well as promoting
films, they made many of their own
including the 1906 film The Story of the
Kelly Gang that ran for more than an hour
making it the longest narrative film yet
seen in Australia.
29 Bendigo Advertiser, 1 November 1909.
pg 3
30 Bendigo Advertiser, 28 February 1911.
pg 1.
31 For a detailed description of the original
Lyric Theatre building see Bendigo
Advertiser, 22 February 1913.
32 The Favaloro’s also operated a concession
stand (snack bar) at the Royal Princess
Theatre, which was also the Box Office.
These concession stands were in addition
to the Favaloro’s popular café on Pall Mall.
33 Interview with Michael Purden, July 2015
34 Centenary of Bendigo special liftout,
Bendigo Advertiser, January 1951
35 The Plaza Theatre Inaugural programme,
December 1934. Held in the historic
collection of the Goldfields Library
Corporation at Bendigo Library.
36 As above. pg 2
37 The original façade is still visible from
Mitchell Street and some of the original
elements of the theatre have been
preserved amidst the public gym now
operating in the building.
38 Interview with Michael Purden, July
2015 and his article Porthole Paradise:
My days as an Assistant Projectionist, The
CinemaRecord, Issue 80, 2013 #4, The
Cinema and Theatre Historical Society,
Australia.
39 Interview with Graeme Kirkwood, July
2015
40 Leighton Rawlings, The end of an
entertainment motoring era, Custom Rodder
# 82, 1985. pg 17
41 Interview with Helen Attrill, August 2015
42 Annals of Bendigo, Vol 7, 1963. pg 133
43 Interview with Leighton Rawlings, July
2015
44 Interview with Ron Bilitho, General
Manager, Bendigo Cinema, July 2015
45 www.starcinema.org.au/about.html
accessed on 25 August, 2015
46 Beverly J Walker, The Princess on View,
2012. pg 170
47 For a comprehensive history of the
Bendigo Operatic Society see Madge
E Welch, A Stage of Remembrance: A
“Capital” view of The Bendigo Operatic
Society from its inception in 1952,
Cambridge Press, Bendigo, 1988 and
Continuing Stages of Remembrance: Bendigo
Operatic Society from 1962 – 1979,
Cambridge Press, Bendigo, 1989
48 Interview with Reg McDonald, previous
Managing Director, the Bendigo
Advertiser, July 2015
49 Interview with David Lloyd, Manager,
Capital Venues & Events August, 2015
Royal Princess Theatre
junior film club badge
c1950
metal, printed plastic
Collection Graeme
Kirkwood
27

Further Reading
Michael Purden
Australia 1944
Demolition of the Lyric
Theatre after fire gutted
the building (detail)
1967
black and white
photograph
Collection Michael
Purden
Mimi Colligan, Stage & Screen:
Australia’s History in Stamps, Australia
Post, 1989
Frank Cusack, Bendigo a history (revised
edition), Lerk and McClure, Bendigo,
2002
Frank Cusack, The History of Hotel
Shamrock, Bendigo Historical Society,
2010
The Picture Show Man, Director: John
Power. Limelight Productions, 1977
George Mackay, The History of
Bendigo, Mackay and Co, Bendigo,
1891
Beverly J Walker, The Princess on
View – A history of the Princess Theatre
Bendigo (1874 – 1963), Vol 1, self
published, 2012
Madge E Welch, A Stage of
Remembrance: A “Capital” view of The
Bendigo Operatic Society from its inception
in 1952, Cambridge Press, Bendigo,
1988
Madge E Welch, Continuing Stages of
Remembrance: Bendigo Operatic Society
from 1962 – 1979, Cambridge Press,
Bendigo, 1989
CinemaRecord (quarterly publication),
Cinema And Theatre Historical
Society of Australia Inc., 1994 -
current
28

1

2
51–67 pall mall
Bendigo VICTORIA 3550
T 03 5434 6179
postofficegallery
@bendigo.vic.gov.au