Capri Theatre
Capri Theatre, Goodwood
Capri Theatre, built in 1941
Former namesNew Star Theatre, New Curzon, Cinema Capri
General information
Architectural styleArt Deco
Address141 Goodwood Road, Goodwood
Town or cityCity of Unley, South Australia
CountryAustralia
Coordinates34°57′10″S 138°35′24″E / 34.95278°S 138.59000°E / -34.95278; 138.59000
Completed1941
Design and construction
Architect(s)Christopher Arthur Smith

The Capri Theatre is a heritage-listed cinema in Goodwood, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia, built in the Art Deco style in 1941. It was formerly called the New Star Theatre, Goodwood Star, New Curzon, and Cinema Capri.

It is owned by and is home to the Theatre Organ Society of Australia (SA Division). A notable feature of the cinema is the Wurlitzer theatre organ, which is used regularly for recitals, as well as an entertainment feature supporting the screening of films.

History

Star Theatre, Goodwood, interior, 1941

Earlier Curzon

The building housing the Goodwood Wondergraph, which opened on 3 November 1911,[1] still stands two doors down from the present Capri,[2][3] used as offices and a warehouse.[1] It was acquired by the Clifford Theatre Circuit[4] in September 1920, along with Wondergraph's other suburban cinemas,[5] renamed Star Theatre[1] until late 1942.[6][7] After the October 1941 opening[8] of the New Star Theatre, the old Star was sold to Ozone Theatres[9] and renamed Ozone Theatre. It was renamed the Curzon in 1955 and was leased until its closure on 20 February 1964.[1]

New Star

Theatre entrepreneur Dan Clifford had built several other cinemas in Adelaide, including the Piccadilly Theatre in North Adelaide in 1940, and he was responsible for the building of this new picture theatre.[10] The cinema was designed by renowned Art Deco architect Christopher Arthur Smith.[11] It was built by R.J. Nurse of Norwood, and the interior decoration was by a Mrs B.A. Gordon. The original plans show the name "Savoy", but it was initially named the Goodwood Star.[12]

The cinema opened on 8 October 1941 as the New Star Theatre.[2] It was part of the Clifford Theatre Circuit[13] (D. Clifford Theatres Ltd.[14][15]) and had a seating capacity of 1,472 persons.[16][2] The films shown on opening night were Robert Young in Florian and Lew Ayres in Dr. Kildare Goes Home.[2]

Greater Union acquired the cinema 1947,[13] as part of their acquisition of the Clifford Circuit.[17]

The cinema was renamed as the New Curzon on 21 February 1964, after the old Curzon nearby closed. It was again renamed as the Cinema Capri on 16 November 1967,[2][13] when Greater Union took out most of the Art Deco interior decorative features and reduced the seating capacity to 851.[16]

The Theatre Organ Society of Australia (South Australian Division) Inc. purchased the cinema in 1978, and they relaunched the cinema as the Capri Theatre.[18] Many of the interior features have been retained and restored since then,[12] with an appeal launched by the National Trust of Australia to repaint the exterior for the theatre's 75th anniversary in 2016.[19]

Installation of the "Mighty Wurlitzer"

The Theatre Organ Society (TOSA) installed a Wurlitzer theatre organ,[20] after altering the proscenium arch to allow for it,[12] with the pipe work in glass fronted chambers along each side of the screen. The inaugural concert took place on 2 April 1983.[20][18][2]

The original organ was built in the United States in 1923, and extra pipes had been added to it from around the country and overseas, during its lifetime in theatres in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney. It was carried in a double-decker bus to Darwin in the 1960s, by a man who wanted it to keep it in his home. However, for climatic and other reasons, he never got it to work properly, and in 1974 it was moved (this time in a truck) to Adelaide by TOSA, not long before Cyclone Tracy devastated the house it had been kept in.[21][22]

The organ to some years to be reassembled, and it was only on Easter Saturday in 1983, that the opening celebration took place, which included international theatre organists who flew in especially for the event.[21] As originally installed, the organ had four keyboards and 13 sets of pipes (ranks). These were added to, until as of 2020 it has 29 ranks, making it the second largest in the Southern Hemisphere. The pipework has been progressively installed in glass-fronted chambers, unique in a theatre or cinema.[18]

The organ's 40th anniversary at the Capri is celebrated on the Easter weekend (7–10 April) in 2023.[21]

Heritage listing

On 27 September 1990 the cinema was placed on the South Australian Heritage Register.[23][12][16]

Authentic Art Deco restoration

While the cinema has modern presentation features, its appearance has been carefully restored to its 1941 Art Deco design, including:

  • Exterior and interior decoration restored to original 1941 colours and styles
  • Original 1941 design carpeting
  • Replica 1941 Art Deco fireplace, mirror & wooden Venetians in the upstairs foyer
  • Club Lounges and replica 1941 round column seating in both foyers

Features, operation and programming

The cinema is a single-screen cinema, with 750 seats on two levels. It is available for hire, specialising in fund-raising events,[24] and is used as a venue for Adelaide Fringe events.[25]

The cinema had a new digital projection system installed in 2012, with the assistance of the South Australian Government and Unley Council.[16] Upstairs, it features lounge seats, including double "love seats".[26][16]

The cinema is run as a not-for-profit organisation, run mostly by volunteers and with all profits spent on the upkeep of the building and its famous organ.[27][18]

The cinema operates mainstream cinema programming. Several times a year, it presents "Nostalgia Movie Nights", when popular classic films are shown, in a programme with supporting short films, a newsreel and nostalgic advertising. Another regular event is the "Cult at the Capri", when two films are shown.[27][18]

The Wurlitzer is played before sessions on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evenings,[27] and is also used for regular organ concerts featuring local and international organists.[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Curzon Goodwood in Adelaide, AU". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Capri Goodwood in Adelaide, AU". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  3. ↑ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  4. ↑ "Semaphore Wondergraph". History of South Australian Picture Theatres. 9 November 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  5. ↑ "Theatrical enterprise". Port Adelaide News. Vol. 7, no. 58. South Australia. 24 September 1920. p. 1. Retrieved 21 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ "In Your Suburb". News (Adelaide). Vol. 39, no. 6, 017. South Australia. 9 November 1942. p. 5. Retrieved 21 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ↑ "Advertising". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Vol. LXXXV, no. 26226. South Australia. 24 October 1942. p. 4. Retrieved 21 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ↑ "Answers To Correspondents". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Vol. LXXXVII, no. 26956. South Australia. 24 February 1945. p. 5. Retrieved 21 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ↑ "Encyclopaedia of Australian Theatre Organs". Star Theatre, Goodwood. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  10. ↑ Keen, Suzie (2 December 2022). "Then and now: Piccadilly Cinema enters a new era". InDaily. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  11. ↑ "Architect Details: Christopher (Chris) Arthur". Architects of South Australia. University of South Australia. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Building Details". Architects of South Australia. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  13. 1 2 3 "Theatre organ society preserves the Capri; Wests becomes home to Adelaide orchestra". AdelaideAZ. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  14. ↑ "Piccadilly Theatre". Architects of South Australia. University of South Australia. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  15. ↑ "Piccadilly Theatre". Architects of South Australia. University of South Australia. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 "History of the Capri". Capri Theatre. 26 June 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  17. ↑ "Dan Clifford, starting as newsboy/bookmaker, builds his classy Star circuit of Adelaide film theatres from 1917". AdelaideAZ. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 "About the Capri". Capri Theatre. 18 June 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  19. ↑ "Capri Theatre Conservation Appeal". National Trust. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  20. 1 2 "Capri Theatre, Goodwood". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  21. 1 2 3 Leckie, Evelyn (28 March 2023). "Wurlitzer theatre organ celebrates 40 years at heritage-listed Capri Theatre in Adelaide's south". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  22. ↑ "Capri Theatre, Goodwood". The Theatre Organ Home Page. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  23. ↑ "Capri Theatre". The South Australia Heritage Places database. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  24. ↑ "Hire the Capri". Capri Theatre. 21 June 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  25. ↑ "Capri Theatre". Adelaide Fringe. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  26. ↑ "French Crafts". pinterest. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  27. 1 2 3 "Capri Theatre - Cinema & Function Venue". Hidden City Secrets. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
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