OLD THEATRE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 85, 7 October 1929, Page 9

OLD THEATRE

CLOSES IN SYDNEY

PASSING OF THE TIVOLI

(From "The Post's" Representative.)

SYDNEY, 2Uth Sept. • When the historic Tivoli TJieatve closes its doors on Saturday night,'riot to reopen them again to the. public, it will signify yet another victory for the talkies. Ostensibly the theatre will close because the permit under which it has remained open will no longer be renewed by tho authorities, but it is generally known that the Tivoli is among the theatreß that have been hit such a severe blow by the latest form of entertainment. Sopic months ago an endeavour was made' to meet the new conditions by installing talkie machine at tho Tivoli, but with tho short subjects that were available the move did not meet with much Buccess and merely stalled off the closing date.

The history of the old Tivoli, and ol its predecessors on the same Bite, 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 tlfe 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 Fedoral Minstrels, and when the variety theatre later became the Garrick, and finally the livoli, his name remained in closest association with the house.1

The Tivoli Theatre was originally purchased by Mr. Harry Kickards for £9000, but the building that stood on the site when the purchase was mads was destroyed by fire in 1900. About a year ago the property was sold by the descendants of Mr. Eickards for £90,000. The sale marked the severance of the Rickards family with the famous place of amusement. Incidentally, the sale terminated the litigation that had been ■ threatened for some time previously. Mr. Eickards 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. Eickards's will provided that the vaudeville business should be sold within one year of his death, and that condition of the will was complied with by his trustees. The vaudeville business realised £100,000, the trustees disposing of it to Mr. Hugh D. M'lntosh. The theatres comprised in the circuit—at Sydney, Melbourne, and Ade-laide-were let by Mr. M'lntosh on a lease tor:. 30 years, and the period will not exnire until 1942. By way of various subleases J. C. Williamson, Ltd., came to control tho vaudeville business, which, it would seem, has fallen away during recent months. •.-."■ , .( The closing of tho Tivoli, known fa#beyond the borders of Sydney, will throw about fifty people out of employment, including the orchestra, some of whom had been associated with tho theatre for •S y y^ar£- Ooe of the oldest employees is Mr. E. Breen, who joined the staff betore the fire which destroyed the old building. The present theatre is far from a modern place of entertainment.