Venue |
Fullers' National Theatre
|
Address |
73 Castlereagh St Sydney NSW Australia
|
First Date |
1912 |
Last Date |
1932 |
Notes
| In 1918 the architect Harry E White converted the amphitheatre to a two-level theatre, with stage boxes on two levels, and a shallow fly-tower stage. Brennan's association apparently ended at this time as his name slipped from sight in the newly re-named Fullers' National Theatre which opened in Ma |
Related Venues |
|
Map |
|
Latitude | Longitude |
-33.869478 | 151.209268 |
Events |
|
|
-
League of Nations Revue, 15 February 1930
-
House Full, 8 February 1930
-
August 1914, 1 February 1930
-
House Full, 25 January 1930
-
The Mouse Trap, 18 January 1930
-
The Police Force, 28 December 1929
-
Kahaki, 21 December 1929
-
Revue - Frank O'Brian, 9 November 1929
-
Revue - Jim Gerald, 20 April 1929
-
Revue - George Ward, 6 April 1929
-
The Novellettes Revue, 23 February 1929
-
Mo and His Merry Makers, 16 February 1929
-
Mo and His Merry Makers, 9 February 1929
-
Mo and His Merry Makers, 26 January 1929
-
Tonics, 19 January 1929
-
The Police Force, 12 January 1929
-
At the Races, 5 January 1929
-
At the Docks, 29 December 1928
-
The Bankers, 22 December 1928
-
Spanish Nights, 15 December 1928
-
A La Carte, 8 December 1928
-
Robinson Crusoe, 26 December 1925
-
Little Red Riding Hood, 26 December 1923
-
VENUE DARK - INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC, 3 April 1919
-
VENUE DARK - INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC, 28 January 1919
|
|
-
League of Nations Revue, 15 February 1930
-
House Full, 8 February 1930
-
August 1914, 1 February 1930
-
House Full, 25 January 1930
-
The Mouse Trap, 18 January 1930
-
The Police Force, 28 December 1929
-
Kahaki, 21 December 1929
-
Revue - Frank O'Brian, 9 November 1929
-
Mo and His Merry Makers, 16 February 1929
-
Mo and His Merry Makers, 9 February 1929
-
Mo and His Merry Makers, 26 January 1929
-
Tonics, 19 January 1929
-
The Police Force, 12 January 1929
-
At the Races, 5 January 1929
-
At the Docks, 29 December 1928
-
The Bankers, 22 December 1928
-
Spanish Nights, 15 December 1928
-
A La Carte, 8 December 1928
-
Mo and His Merry Makers, 16 February 1929
-
Mo and His Merry Makers, 9 February 1929
-
Mo and His Merry Makers, 26 January 1929
-
Tonics, 19 January 1929
-
The Police Force, 12 January 1929
-
At the Races, 5 January 1929
-
At the Docks, 29 December 1928
-
The Bankers, 22 December 1928
-
Spanish Nights, 15 December 1928
-
A La Carte, 8 December 1928
-
Mo and His Merry Makers, 16 February 1929
-
Mo and His Merry Makers, 9 February 1929
-
Mo and His Merry Makers, 26 January 1929
-
Tonics, 19 January 1929
-
The Police Force, 12 January 1929
-
At the Races, 5 January 1929
-
At the Docks, 29 December 1928
-
The Bankers, 22 December 1928
-
Spanish Nights, 15 December 1928
-
A La Carte, 8 December 1928
-
Mo and His Merry Makers, 16 February 1929
-
Mo and His Merry Makers, 9 February 1929
-
Mo and His Merry Makers, 26 January 1929
-
Tonics, 19 January 1929
-
The Police Force, 12 January 1929
-
At the Races, 5 January 1929
-
At the Docks, 29 December 1928
-
The Bankers, 22 December 1928
-
Spanish Nights, 15 December 1928
-
A La Carte, 8 December 1928
|
|
|
Resources |
-
Theatre in Castlereagh Street, Sydney. Built as National Sporting Club 1902. Converted to theatre and opened as National Amphitheatre 26 December 1906, seating 1410 on one level. Renamed Fullers’ National Theatre 1912. Converted to two-level theatre 1919, seating 1382. Architect: Henry E. White. Renamed Roxy Theatre cinema 28 February 1930. Renamed Mayfair Theatre 1932. Demolished 1984.
The National Sporting Club, with a large hall seating 2000 persons for boxing and other athletic entertainments, was built on the western side of Castlereagh Street, a little south of King Street, in 1902. In 1906 James Brennan converted the hall to a one-level theatre for variety performances and called it the National Amphitheatre. Fullers' took control of the Brennan Vaudeville Circuit in 1912 and renamed the house Fullers' National Theatre. The licensing authorities noted it as 'antiquated and dangerous' in June 1912 but rebuilding was not approved until September 1918. The architect Henry E. White converted the amphitheatre into a two-level theatre with twin stage boxes at each side on both levels. It had a shallow fly-tower stage. In the 1920s it was a popular vaudeville theatre. Fred Bluett, Mike Connors and Queenie Paul, Edgley and Dawe, Stiffy and Mo, and George Wallace performed there. But on 24 February 1930 the Sydney Morning Herald announced the end of Fullers' vaudeville and closure of the 'Nash'. Quickly redecorated, it reopened four days later as the Roxy Theatre, showing a film, Hollywood Revue. In February 1932 the Roxy briefly returned to live variety under Frank Neil, who was touring Ada Reeve. But at the end of the year Fullers' Theatres Ltd decided to show British films. The theatre, its auditorium refurbished in Art Deco style, was renamed the Mayfair. Later Hoyts Theatres bought the Mayfair and from the mid-1950s it showed major widescreen films. In 1977-78 there were live shows, including a revival of the rock musical Godspell, Q Theatre's rock show St Marys Kid and Peter Williams's production of Crown Matrimonial, starring June Salter and John Hamblin. After this rediscovery of its potential there were protests when demolition threatened the theatre and the NSW government indicated that efforts would be made to retain it. As usual, the protesters were lulled into false security. In 1980 the foyers and dress-circle stairs were converted into shops and in 1984 the building was demolished.
Article:  Ross Thorne, Fullers' National Theatre, Companion To Theatre In Australia, 1995, 239
-
Article:  Ross Thorne, Mayfair Theatre, rossthorne.com, 2009
-
Websites / Online media:  Ailsa McPherson, National Amphitheatre, Dictionary of Sydney
-
Websites / Online media:  Sydney Architecture - National Amphitheatre / Mayfair Theatre, Sydney Architecture
|
Venue Identifier |
17895 |
Provide feedback on Fullers' National Theatre