The Bioscope (Jul-Sep 1931)

THE BIOSCOPE MODERN CINEMA TECHNIQUE September 16, ]931 xii Last week “The Bioscope” published first exclusive pictures of the new Paramount Theatre, Newcastle. On this and the opposite pages are further illustrations of this luxurious house. Here is a thoroughly satisfying Foyer treatment, though an inharmonious note is struck by the gilt frame at right Birmingham’s New cc Mayfair ” Some Novelties in Design and Decoration (By Ford Jones, “ The Bioscope’s ” Midland Representative.) September will mark the opening of Birmingham s latest entertainment centre — The Mayfair — erected in College Road, Kingstanding, Birmingham, one of the new housing estates sponsored by the Birmingham Corporation. The Mayfair Cinema Co., Ltd., has on its board four well-known figures in Birmingham exhibiting circles — Messrs. Lionel Lyons, I. Jacobs, E. Garfield and A. W. Rogers. The front of the house is 80 ft. wide and constructed in " Guildstone ” and red brick, with a series of ornamental windows on the mezzanine lounge level, ornamental canopy over the entrance and a short series of steps to the foyer. Four sets of double doors complete the frontage, which is on pleasing lines. Storage Battery Emergency Lighting The entrance foyer is of ample dimensions, having paybox fitted with Automaticket machines, and on the left the manager’s office and stalls paybox, balanced on the right by the switch and generator rooms. The foyer decorations are in graduating tones of orange, deep at the base, merging into the self colour of the plaster as it rises, whilst the ceiling is in gold, surrounded by beams decorated in orange. The artificial lighting still further enhances this decoration, for on each side of the auditorium entrance are wall lanterns let flush into the wall, which are illuminated from behind to show up the iridescent purple and green of the glazing. The same style of decoration hav been employed in the mezzanine lounge, which, with its luxurious carpeting and restful furnishings, is a charming place for the patron to tarry. At the back of the lounge are store rooms and staff rooms, together with accommodation for the secondary lighting system, which is by means of storage bat teries— a new feature to Birmingham. On the left is a good sized staff room and on the right a ladies’ room tastefully equipped with appointments to please the feminine taste. A continuation of the stairs leads to the rear of the balcony and the operating department. In the centre of the lounge is the entrance to the balcony, which brings one to a central position in the tiers of seats, thus dispensing with much stair climbing, a feature that will at once find favour with visitors. The seating in the body of the hall and in the balcony is divided into four blocks. Seating throughout is of the tip-up type, upholstered in rose velvet with sorbo imposed arms giving the last word in comfort. Lighting is of the three-colour type, contained in concealed form in balconyettes under the windows on the side walls and by means of ten lanterns carried flush in the roof. Effective Use of Self-Coloured Plaster The decorations employed in the house are unusual, in that there are large areas of self colour acoustic plaster. Around the base of the hall, extending to a height of something like 4 ft., is a dado of royal blue surmounted to the balcony level with paxboard, which in turn is followed to the ceiling with acoustic plaster. This is relieved by decorative fibrous plaster around the side windows and balconyettes, decorated in royal blue and in parts suitably relieved by a silver stipple. The proscenium has good lines, giving an impression of solidity combined with simplicity. The opening is 47 ft. wide, providing accommodation for wide screen effects should these be introduced at a later date. The plasterwork around the opening carries the blue finish in conformity with the other parts of the house, whilst a pillar-like effect is also obtained by means of a silver stipple finish at the sides. The white space over the exit doors at the side of the proscenium end is relieved with a panel design carried out in the same mediums. Auditorium Has Jointless Floor A feature of this hall is the use of a jointless floor for the auditorium, thus dispensing with the necessity of carpet. This flooring is a product of Diespecker, Ltd., under the name of " Magnasite.” In appearance it is not unlike cork linoleum ; it is easy to keep clean, grips the tread and is claimed not to chill the feet. Much thought has been expended on the lighting effect around the proscenium, which is by means of a three-colour lighting system carrying 500 lamps on the inside, whilst concealed around the outer edge is a further arrangement of white lights, which produces a halo effect and at the same time a rainbow effect on the curtains and screen. Carpet is laid in the balcony, which has provision for 420 patrons, the auditorium seating 1,200. Front and Car Park Floodlighted In addition to the accommodation in the foyer and mezzanine lounge, there is a large and well appointed crush hall at the side of the house for those using the cheaper seats. There will be no need for intending patrons to search for the Mayfair at night, for its position is to be advertised by a series of floodlights, which will boldly pick out the house and its adequate car park. The architect responsible for the planning of Birmingham’s latest cinema is Hurley Robinson, of 6, Cherry Street, Birmingham. Contractors for the undertaking are : — BuildingC. Bryant & Sons, Small Heath, Birmingham ; guildstone front, Allied Arts & Crafts, Ltd., Tyburn Road, Birmingham ; fibrous plaster, acoustic plaster and decorations throughout, The G.S.T. Co., of 39, Newhall Street, Birmingham ; electrical installation and secondary battery lighting, The Midland Electrical Installation Co., Wolverhampton ; curtain control, Furze & Co., Nottingham ; seating, W. W. Turner & Co., York Road, King’s Heath, Birmingham ; special jointless flooring, Diespecker, Charles Henry Street, Birmingham ; Terratza flooring, Cecconi, Fazeley Street, Birmingham ; central heating, Fredk. Evans, 219, Heathfield Road, Handsworth, Birmingham ; steelwork, E. J. Keay & Co., Darlaston ; ticket machines, Automaticket,, Ltd. ; curtains, Lewis', Ltd., Birmingham; sound equipment. The R.C.A. Co. ; Ross projectors, W. A. Webb & Co., Birmingham ; canopy and stairways, Glover & Co., Aston, Birmingham , and carpeting, Bedford A Fairfax, Birmingham. In the new Paramount house modernism is gracefully wedded to older decorative forms as in this typical alcove. The curtain edges strike the only irritating note