The Bioscope (Jul-Sep 1931)

MODERN CINEMA TECHNIQUE THE BIOSCOPE September 16, 1931 xiii The lofty, ornate dignity of the Paramount auditorium is enhanced hy clever lighting. The columnar treatment is at once massively impressive and playful — excellently suited to the architecture of pleasure Walkley Palladium Renovated THE TUDOR West Bridgford NOTTS Surprising as it may sound the Tudor Cinema, West Bridgford, Notts, which opened last Monday (September 14th), is the first picture theatre specially built for talking films in the Nottingham area. Promoted by a syndicate of local business men the Tudor is entirely a private venture. The first manager is E. B. Chaplin, who for some time was assistant manager at the Elite, Nottingham, and later was manager of the Parliament Street Picture House, Nottingham, and the Palladium, Beeston. The Tudor is a striking building both as regards its exterior and its interior decoration, which are widely different in style. The Tudor was planned by Alfred J. Thraves, F.R.I.B.A., of Victoria Street, Nottingham, and built by Messrs. W. & F. Chell, of West Bridgford. The total cost of the theatre is understood to be between £20,000 and £25,000. A Non-Industrial District As West Bridgford is a purely residential neighbourhood, which prides itself on having no building more industrial than a laundry, great care had to be exercised with regard to the appearance of the exterior, and Mr. Thraves has been at extraordinary pains to design a type of building that will not conflict in any way with its surroundings. The Tudor style of architecture was adopted for the exterior — hence the name of the theatre. The Tudor accommodates 1,450 patrons. The main entrance of the cinema is in the centre of the building and is flanked on either side with stone bastions having castellated tops. These are illuminated with flood lighting at night. The Tudor occupies a magnificent site on a circus into which roads from many directions radiate. Entrance is gained through the main doorway to a Tudor panelled foyer which gives direct access to the auditorium, while staircases lead to the circle. The design of the foyer and of the staiicase approach has been carried out on strictly Tudor lines. Western Electric on Kalee On the exterior the lead lights have been modelled on those at Moreton Hall, Cheshire, a classic example of this period. Lead panels have been inserted at intervals in the facade containing heads of artists, authors, playwrights, soldiers and adventurers of the Elizabethan era. On entering the auditorium an entirely different type of architecture is encountered, the interior having been treated in a free Continental style. The building is absolutely fireproof, being of steel frame and ferro-concrete construction throughout. The colour scheme includes orange, blue, gold and grey, these colours being used in the carpets, furnishing, seating and the curtains. The lighting is also of the latest type, concealed panels being employed throughout. The heating unit is of the oil-burning type with thermostatic temperature control. The whole of the theatre is fitted with vacuum cleaning plant. The projection equipment includes Kalee machines and Western Electric sound. Charming lakeland scenes, including pictures of Ullswater, appear in the panels and alcoves along the walls of the renovated Walkley Palladium, Sheffield. The new colour scheme and lighting effects strike a novel and most charming note in cinema decoration. The varying shades of blue of the frescoes referred to above are in refreshing contrast to the background of light fawn. The moulding of the ceiling has been treated in crimson and gold, from which hang six magnificent lanterns with colours of lemon and pink. Colourful as the scheme is, it has nothing cheap or bizarre about it. The artists, who have been engaged on the work for some weeks, have brought to bear considerable ingenuity, such things as ventilators on the walls being hidden in the shape of some ruined abbey or a wooded bank side looking down on to a charming stretch of water. The effect is further helped by small bluish lanterns, which have been placed around the hall. The Walkley Palladium is one of the oldest cinemas in Sheffield. It has never spared expense in keeping up to date, and was one of the first houses in the city to instal " talkies,” although not a central house. F. W. Woodward, the manager, has served at the cinema throughout the whole of the 17 years. For 13 years he was chief operator, and was appointed manager four years ago. It is interesting to note that the whole of the decorative work was carried out without the hall having to close for a single night. The work was carried out by F. A. Foster, Ltd., of Nottingham. Repairs and alterations were also carried out by T. Owen, builder, of Walkley.