OLD THEATRE IN SYDNEY

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1929, Page 8

OLD THEATRE IN SYDNEY

PASSING OF THE TIVOLI. SYDNEY, September 26

When the historic Tivoli Theatre close its doors on Saturday night, not to reopen them again to the public, .it will signify yet another victory lor the (talkies. Ostensibly the theatre will close because the permit under which it has remained open will no longer be renewed by the authorities, but it is generally known that the Tivoli is among the theatres that have been hit such a severe blow by the latest form of entertainment. Some months ago an endeavour was made to meet the new conditions by installing a talkie machine at the Tivoli, but with the short subjects that were available the move did not meet with much success and merely stalled off the closing date. The history of the old Tivoli and of its predecessors on the same site goes back more than half a century. In the early ’seventies a variety entertainment under the name of the Scandinavian Music Hall, was opened and there Hancock’s Federal Minstrels were among the earliest of a series of famous vaudeville stars. Almost every music-hall artist of note since then has appeared on the stage of the vaudeville theatres that have occupied the site of the Tivoli. The name of Harry Rickards will always be associated with vaudeville in Sydney. He was in the first instance with Hancock’s Federal Minstrels, and when the variety theatre later became the Garrick and finally the Tivoli, his name remained in closest associations with the house. The Tivoli Theatre was originally purchased by Mr Harry Rickards for £9OOO, but the building that stood on the site when the purchase was made was destroyed by fire in 1900. About a year ago the property was sold by the descendants of Mr Rickards ffoi £90,000. The sale marked the severance of the Rickard family with the famous place of amusement. Incidentally the sale terminated the litigation that had been threatened for some time previously. Mr Rickards died in 1911, and the Tivoli property had up to 'the end of last year remained the sole property of the members of his family and their children. Mr Rickard’s will provided that the vaudeville business should he sold within one year of his death, and that condition of the will was complied with by his trustees. The vaudeville business realised £IOO,OOO the trustees disposing of it to Mr Hugh D. Mclntosh. The theatres comprised in the circuit —at Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide —were let by Mr Mclntosh on a lease for 30 years and the period will not expire until 1942. By way of various sub-leases J. C. Williamson Ltd., came to control the vaudeville business,- which it • wbuld seem, has fallen away during recent months.

The closing of the Tivoli, known far beyond the borders of Sydney, will throw about 50 pebple out of employment, including the orchestra some of whom have been associated with the theatre for 30 years. One of the oldest employees is Mr E. Breen, who joined the staff before the fire which destroyed the old building. The piesent theatre is far from a modern place of entertainment.