BIBLIOGRAPHY

Everyone's, 22nd May, 1935

Mudgee Guardian, 30th August, 1935

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The Mudgee Regent is an excellent rare, intact example of an Art Deco Moderne country cinema which has remained in the same family ownership and operated for its original purpose for nearly sixty years.The theatre is a landmark in Mudgee and has been the focal point of the town's popular culture for generations. Modernisation of the theatre to meet popular tastes and demand has not compromised the building's heritage fabric and provides a graphic layering of progressive modifications reflecting changing technology in the cinema industry. The theatre also contains numerous items of industrial archaeological value, still in use, e.g. the c. 1938 slide projector and lighting panel. The nursery is a most irnportant and early example of child-care facilities and the paintings are a very rare, intact group of murals depicting the popular children's art of the 1940's. While not built and decorated on the scale of the city picture palaces, the Mudgee Regent is a very fine and rare survivng representative example of the more typical cinemas which dominated early twentieth century culture thoughout New South Wales.

HISTORY

The Mudgee Regent Theatre opened on Wednesday 21st August, 1935 with the movie "Passport to Fame" (Edward G. Robinson & Jean Arthur). The Architect for the theatre was Douglas Smith. "Everyone's" of 22nd May, 1935 announced that the Mudgee Regent "is one of a new circuit of NSW country shows controlled by Regent Theatres (Mudgee) Ltd." The second theatre in this circuit, the Regent Coolah, opened three days later on Saturday, September 3. The Mudgee Regent is licensed to seat 986 and has remained in the same family ownership for its 58 year existence. The theatre was originally designed to accommodate live presentations with its large stage (15 metre wide, 8 metre deep) sloped down to the audience (10cm in 6m), fly tower and toilets and dressing rooms to either side of the stage. In more recent years, the theatre has again been used for live theatre and a stage lighting system installed. The present candy bar was originally the Regent Nursery and a number of watercolour murals of contemporary cartoon characters were painted in 1946. The two 35mm movie projectors were upgraded in 1972 and a new sound system installed in 1986. A cinemascope screen, claimed to be the widest in country NSW was installed some years ago. The screen is raisable providing a 5.5 metre clearance for live presentations. The theatre has been progressively upgraded to meet modem fire protection requirements but this has not resulted in any significant disturbance to the building's historic fabric. The theatre continues to function for its original purposes, supplemented by live theatre, particularly for local schools.

DESCRIPTION

Three landmark buildings dominate the skyline of Mudgee when viewed from the surrounding hills, the two cathedrals and the Mudgee Regent. The four-storey facade has several groupings of vertical fins terminating in stepped forms. The facade is offset by a dramatic stepped awning concentrating attention on the classic illuminated cinema billboard. The entrance has fine tilework on the steps, and pillars featuring geometric patters and the words "Regent Theatre". Two matching shopfronts to either side of the entrance contain the office and nursery/candy bar. Bold, chromium-plated, concentric circle trim accent the door plates. The foyer contains the original hexagonal ticket box with "Western Electric Mirrophonic" and heating and ventilating equipment nameplates. The timber entrance doors to the theatre and the handles and "pull" plates are original. The former Nursery contains several 1946 watercolour paintings including "We welcome you to the Regent Nursery", "The Gang's all Here" and various Disney characters. The main auditorium is in near original condition with the caneite ceilings unpainted. The seating is also original and in good condition. The proscenium is decorated with geometric patterning , otherwise ornamentation is restricted to ventilation grilles and lighting surrounds. A large timber screen with a bronze "art-deco" freize separates the auditorium from the foyer doors. The auditorium has the original fans still in position and operating. The lounge has original "artdeco" light fittings, mirrors and velvet, circular lounge. The complete'bar setting' from the movie "Crocodile Dundee' has been installed in the lounge. The streetfront office adjoining the main entrance has original carpet and wallpaper and early ticketing memorabilia. The large projection box, virtually across the full width of the theatre is completely encased in concrete for fire protection and contains two 1972 carbon arc projectors, a 16mm projector and the original c.1938 slide projector and attadunents. The original lighting board and various early artefacts including a Harringtons Limited - "Hints for Projectionists" notice further enhance this area.