Earl's Court Theatre
17 The Esplanade,
Melbourne,
VIC
3182
17 The Esplanade,
Melbourne,
VIC
3182
1 person
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Lyric Summer Gardens Pictures, Lyric Theatre, Mayfair Theatre
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Located in the south Melbourne district of St. Kilda. In 1912 the Cremorne Gardens Tea Rooms, located adjacent to the Paradise Picture Gardens, were converted into the Lyric Summer Gardens Theatre. It operated during summer months. The following year in 1913 it was converted into an indoor cinema, reopening in May 1913 as the Lyric Theatre, operated by Callen & Stuart. Seating was provided for 1,400, with 1,100 in the stalls and 300 in the circle. It presented live entertainment and movies. The Lyric Theatre was closed around 1925. It was purchased by Esplanade Theatres who planned to demolish and build a new cinema on the site.
It was rebuilt, reopening as the Mayfair Theatre with a cinema downstairs and a dance hall upstairs. In 1932 it was remodeled in a castle style and renamed Earls Court Theatre. It showed films for a few more years, but had closed by 1946. Eventually it became a nightclub and ballroom. In 1986 it was operating as the Earl’s Court Nightclub. It was closed in 1985 and has been demolished. A retirement home named Earl’s Court now stands on the site.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 1 comments)
From contemporary newspapers, the Lyric seems to have ceased in about 1925. Then in 1928 it was rebuilt as the Mayfair, with a cinema downstairs ‘for talkies’ and a dance hall upstairs. This was transformed again in 1932 in castle style, and renamed Earl’s Court, with the same format.