Save the Regent

The Regent's tenants, Birch, Carroll and Coyle, are sponsoring a film festival and competition before they move out in June. A percentage of proceeds from ticket sales will go to the contest prize pools. Enjoy the Regent while you can - and keep up the fight to save the Showcase Cinema and the magical bar area from demolition! Details of the festival and contest are here. Click here to email the Premier and other state and council officials, and the building's owner, to let them know that you do not agree with the current plans to demolish the Showcase cinema and ornate bar area, and are concerned that the demoliton and construction process may impact adversely on the Regent's foyer. Here's a clever promo for the festival starring Drew Jarvis (aka Curio from The Shak) . It was shot in the Showcase cinema, which, I hope you agree, really must be saved:

According to a Tweet and Facebook update from Brisbane movie guru Des Partridge, the Regent will close on June 15 after farewell program of shorts and specials on Sunday, June 6, starting at 5pm. Remember folks, you can still voice your protest by contacting the Premier, the mayor and others - addresses are on here. Other theatres around Australia and the world have been restored to their original glory, but Brisbane likes to demolish its cultural icons (think Festival Hall and Cloudland, Her Majesty's , the Metro, the Paris and all the others). And, remember, despite its unsympathetic makeover in the 1980s, it's still Brisbane's only original Hollywood-style picture palace. Under the developer's proposal, everything beyond the grand staircase will go - including the Showcase cinema and the ornate bar area.

How do you renovate an old theatre? There are plenty examples of that online - including this account of work done at Sydney's Capitol Theatre, which is now hosting the sell-out success that is Billy Elliott. (Memo Anna Bligh: live theatres can be profitable.)
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