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Uploaded on: July 31, 2025

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Forum Theatre 755 George Street, Sydney, NSW - Previously known as The Lyric.

Photo Paul Brennan - Looking down at the proscenium from the gods.

Located in Sydney city centre on George Street, between Valentine Street and Ultimo Road. The Lyric Theatre was opened by Canadian born J.D. Williams on 31st March 1911. The rather plain auditorium had decoration mainly on the front of the two circles. Seating provided for 865 in the stalls, 400 in the dress circle and 650 in the gallery.

It was one of the tallest theatres in Sydney but Greater Union, who soon took over operations, were to wish it was one of the widest.

When it was equipped for sound films, the acoustics were improved by adding panels of softwood lattice to the side-walls. The old fashioned decor was later replaced with sharply angled Art Deco style and the proscenium simplified. For most of its life it was slightly out of what became the city’s two theatre districts, and ran double bill revivals - Notes by John Gleeson

Contributed by Greg Lynch -