The Cremorne Theatre was a theatre in South Brisbane (now part of South Bank), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia that operated, with interruptions, from 1911 to 1954. Although nothing remains of it today, the general location retains its cultural significance from the first half of the twentieth century as a theatre precinct, thanks to the nearby construction of QPAC in 1985. Its name lives on in the new Cremorne Theatre, one of the venues within QPAC.
These pre-1911 Brisbane Cremorne Gardens, were likely, given the site size, much more modest than their antecedents. The first mention of them is being advertised as a concert venue for a pantomime company and a violin concert in 1902. The venue is also referred to in the Advertisement as O'Connor's Gardens. J.D. O'Connor was the publican of O'Connor's Hotel in Stanley Street in 1902. J.D. O'Connor's father-in-law, John Graham, had owned land in South Brisbane since 1842, and had run hotels in the vicinity from 1866 to 1896. In 1888 John Graham established Graham's Family Hotel in Stanley Street, South Brisbane and held the licence until 1896 when it was transferred to his son-in-law, who changed the name to O'Connor's Hotel. There is a report in 1903 of O'Connor's Hotel having gardens on an extensive site and including a theatre called the Cremorne Gardens:
"There is a great area of ground, and every part of it is judiciously utilised. Between the frontages in Stanley and Grey streets are carpets of green grass and a wealth of tropical foliage, amidst which are scattered rustic seats and gas jets. ... There is even a theatre, known as Cremorne Gardens, used occasionally for public entertainments, and frequently for social gatherings."
Despite this report of a "theatre" existing in 1903, the historical sources cited in the next section all agree that the theatre was built in 1911. However, it is clear that a venue called Cremorne Gardens which included garden features was used for public performances for some years prior to 1911.
In 1905, J.D. O'Connor built a home, Cremorne, Hamilton, which appears to have been named after this part of his business. The house survives today as a heritage-listed villa at 34 Mullens Street, Hamilton, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
The Cremorne Gardens at O'Connor's Hotel continued as a concert and light theatre venue until 1909 when J.D. O'Connor retired and sold his business.
"...the goodly number of patrons present noted with satisfaction this well arranged auditorium, the whole place, upon which the title of 'Cremorne' has been bestowed, wearing an air of neatness, brightness and comfort."This quote was cited from Smith, Christopher. Treading the Boards: A survey of theatre buildings in Brisbane 1847–1998, Public Programs Unit, Queensland Performing Arts Trust, 1999, p. 43.
Eight months later, a company, The Dandies Limited, was floated to buy the "Cremorne Gardens" site, which had an 88-foot frontage to Stanley Street, and also the theatrical business. The Prospectus claimed that £5,000 of improvements had been made to the property.
Brisbane's subtropical climate meant that the theatre's use was frequently interrupted by rainfall and it was closed temporarily in 1917 while weatherproof awnings were erected.
The theatre was at first managed, and then after its sale in 1916 by Branscombe's company, owned and operated, by John Neil McCallum,
| Cremorne Theatre History entry Australian Variety Theatre Archive Popular Culture Entertainment: 1850–1930 Clay Djubal 2011 the father of Australian actor and producer, John McCallum. During the first ten years it was used mostly for vaudeville and variety shows, and for occasional drama productions with limited success. By 1919 MacCallum's company (The Dandies Queensland Limited) had improved and expanded the venue to a 3,000 seat capacity.
McCallum, like O'
Google Maps Image 152 Flinders Parade, Sandgate, Qld at 152 Flinders Parade, Sandgate.Broadhurst, Sandgate
In 1926, the theatre was leased by McCallum to Greater Brisbane Amusements and a new ceiling and seating was installed in July of that year. It continued to prosper on and off; but by 1929 it was closed, being used only for meetings and the occasional amateur theatre production. During the early 1930s, the Brisbane Arts Theatre, the Brisbane Comic Opera and the Brisbane Repertory Theatre Society used it either as rehearsal space or for the staging of their productions.
In 1934 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer converted the building into a cinema by installing a new proscenium, a screen, a new sound system, and by reducing the size of the auditorium down to 1,300. This use continued until 1940.
Then in 1943, the management was taken over by Will Mahoney and his wife, American entertainer
| AusStage Database During World War II, the Cremorne became a popular entertainment venue for Australian and American servicemen on leave. Mahoney and Hayes appeared on stage regularly along with leading artists like comedian Roy Rene,AusStage Database Rene, Roy (Mo) (1891–1954) . Accessed 16 August 2015. actor and comedian George Wallace,Note that George Leonard Wallace German version (1918–1968), George's son, and also a well known performer, was in the Army during World War II in Concert Party service and so is unlikely to have performed at the Cremorne, and is certainly not listed on AusStage as having done so. AusStage Database Wallace, | George Stevensen (1895–1960). . 16 August 2015. actor, stuntman and circus performer Jim Gerald,. Gerald, James (Jim) (1891–1971) Ausstage Database . Accessed 16 August 2015. singer Olga Vernon, comedian Buster Fiddess,
| AusStage Database and Iris Shand – both were actors and versatile stage performers, and chatting cartoonist "Inky"
| AusStage Database Peggy Mortimer also appeared under her married name, Peggy Toppano, and was invited to perform at the Cremorne Theatre by Bob Geraghty.(13 December 2003). Peggy sang her own sweet tune . The Sydney Morning Herald.
It was in fact with the Brisbane Opera Society, under the musical direction of George English, that arguably Australia's most famous operatic tenor Donald Smith (tenor), sang his first operas. Some of these operas included "Merry England" by Edward German, "The Bohemian Girl" by Michael William Balfe, "Maritana" by William Vincent Wallace, Gunoud's "Faust" and Ruggero Leoncavallo opera "Pagliacci".
John McCallum leased the theatre to Universal International Pictures in 1951 and by mid-1952 the building had been converted for use as offices and storage facilities for film distribution. The last recorded program is for a production by the Musical & Theatre Guild of Queensland of "The Desert Song" on 3 May 1952. The Theatre burnt down in 1954 and was never rebuilt. About QPAC .
The QPAC management makes claim to be continuing the heritage of the Cremorne Theatre as part of a "cultural precinct". QPAC History - Cultural Precinct . There is a new Cremorne Theatrehttp://www.thefotofanatic.com/Photography/Forums/Your-Brisbane-Past-and-Present/brisproj-362/810347363_bBKrx-X2.jpg Photo of Theatre, Trevor Newman, Date unknown within the QPAC complex, QPAC Venues . although it is the smallest theatre within the complex at 312 seats. The four QPAC theatres – the Concert Hall, Lyric Theatre, Playhouse and Cremorne Theatre combined have a seat capacity at 4,950 which is about two third's higher again than that of the original Cremorne Theatre at its height.
The current building includes, at ground level, a Gallery used for theatre exhibitions, for example, in 2016 "Theatres of War" which included a poster from the original Cremorne Theatre's own wartime service in World War II.
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