CAARP
Cinema and Audience Research Project

The lavish Kaberry and Chard designed Kings Theatre, is notable for its Mayan influenced Art Deco style (Thorne et. al. 1996)

Kings exhibited on at least six occasions per week (including a Saturday matinee) drawing audiences from across the district from 1935 until the early 1970s, when numbers began to decline. The lower section was converted for roller-skating in 1972 and the cinema remained viable, however from this time forward it struggled, closing and re-opening its doors on many occasions before its final screening in 1992 (Hanson 2008).

Since 1992 the cinema has functioned as a furniture retail outlet. The upper interior design features, dress circle and projection box however remain largely intact (Thorne et. al 1996). Several usuccessful attempts have been made by community groups to have the cinema reopened (Hanson 2008; Parkinson 2010).

References:
“Film Weekly Motion Picture Directory”, Film Weekly, Sydney, 1936 – 1971.

Hanson, S 2008, ‘“Electrical wonders of the present age”: cinema-going on the Far South Coast of NSW and rural discourses of modernity’, honours thesis, Faculty of Arts, University of Wollongong.

Parkinson, R 2010, Picture Shows on the Far South Coast of New South Wales, Robert Parkinson, Sydney.

Thorne, R, Tod, L & Cork, K 1996, Movie Theatre Heritage Register for New South Wales 1896 – 1996, Department of Architecture, University of Sydney, Sydney.