Melbourne’s Capitol Theatre Picture Palace Turns 100
When The Capitol Theatre first opened its doors in 1924, it wasn’t just a building—it was a revelation. The dazzling geometric ceiling, shimmering with 4,000 colored lights, set a kaleidoscopic stage for Melbourne’s theatre-goers, who arrived in cloche hats, tailored suits, and boundless anticipation.
Victoria’s first picture palace quickly became the epicenter of glamour and innovation. Designed by the architectural dream team Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin, this Chicago-Gothic marvel has been wooing audiences since 1924.
Its centenary celebration in November 2024 felt like a night straight out of The Great Gatsby—only with less bootleg gin and more Instagram hashtags.
The Capitol was the crown jewel in a city dotted with cinemas, and its style set it apart.
Its grand staircase, lined with marble and lit by dazzling chandeliers, was practically made for sweeping entrances and dramatic exits.
Australian architect Robin Boyd once declared it “the best cinema that was ever built or is ever likely to be built,” and for good reason.
The Capitol was unlike anything Melbourne had ever seen, or would see again—a masterpiece of Chicago-Gothic design and Art Deco elegance, where every flickering reel of film felt like an invitation to another world.
A century ago, stepping into the Capitol was like stepping into a kaleidoscope. The theatre’s geometric plaster ceiling, lit by an orchestra of colored lights, turned an ordinary evening into a psychedelic affair decades before the word “psychedelic” existed.
The 580-seat venue was a triumph of Art Deco glamour and technological wizardry, boasting the latest in projection equipment and acoustics.
Melbourne’s theatre-goers of the 1920s were suitably dazzled, their cloche hats and dinner jackets a mere backdrop to the Capitol’s glitzy extravagance.
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The Golden Era of Melbourne Theatre
In the roaring twenties, The Capitol wasn’t just a theatre—it was a cultural escape hatch. Melbourne’s moviegoers flocked to see Hollywood’s latest offerings, from Chaplin comedies to Garbo dramas, often accompanied by the lush melodies of the theatre’s resident Wurlitzer organ, affectionately named Eliza.
This 1920s marvel, capable of replicating a full orchestra, elevated silent films into immersive experiences, with sound effects as vivid as the theatre’s crystalline ceiling.
Life for Melbourne’s flapper generation wasn’t all jazz and Charleston—it was a heady mix of glamour and grit. The Capitol wasn’t just a cinema; it was a temple of escapism. Post-war Melbourne was recovering from the lingering shadow of the First World War and grappling with the economic uncertainties of the roaring twenties. A trip to the Capitol meant more than just watching a film; it was a chance to forget the humdrum of rationing and worry, and dive headfirst into Hollywood’s dream factory.
Imagine it: men slicking back their hair with enough pomade to fuel a car, women trading corsets for drop-waist frocks, and everyone jostling to see the latest talkies or silent films accompanied by live orchestras.
The Capitol played host to the greats of the silver screen, from Charlie Chaplin to Greta Garbo, while the plush velvet seats whispered of secrets swapped and romances sparked in the dim glow of the projector.
Art Deco was more than an architectural style—it was a lifestyle. Melbourne’s theatres were places where people could rub shoulders with the nouveau riche, gossip about each other’s fashion choices, and pretend they were on the cusp of a glamorous Hollywood career (or at least a night of Gatsby-esque debauchery).
The Capitol wasn’t just for the upper crust, though. Matinees were the social leveller, with seats affordable enough for anyone with a few shillings to spare. Kids pressed their noses against its glass doors, dreaming of a future where they, too, could afford to sit beneath that heavenly ceiling and munch on over-salted popcorn.
A Near-Loss, A Stunning Revival
As the decades ticked by, the Capitol reinvented itself, shifting from cinema to live performance space and back again.
The 1960s brought The Capitol to the brink of disaster, but Melbourne’s theatre-lovers weren’t having it. As Melbourne’s modernist wave swept through, the theatre faced demolition—a fate narrowly avoided thanks to one of Australia’s earliest heritage conservation campaigns.
Protests and petitions preserved this Art Deco darling, and in 1999, RMIT University took it under its wing, preserving the Capitol’s cinematic legacy while reimagining it for a new century.
“The Capitol was a marquee cinema where films in the 1970s sometimes ran for an entire year,” says Marc Morel, Manager of Venues at RMIT University. “Today, it retains its stunning geometric formalist design while evolving into a hub for arts and culture.”
Eliza, the Capitol’s original Wurlitzer organ
A multi-million-dollar refurbishment from 2014 to 2019 restored its architectural splendor, introducing state-of-the-art digital projection, surround sound, and a modernized fly tower.
Yet one crucial piece of its history remains in waiting: the return of Eliza, the Capitol’s original Wurlitzer organ.
Installed in the Capitol in 1924, Eliza was one of the largest and very first Wurlitzers brought to Australia. RMIT wants to put her back in her original home.
Horace Weber played the Wurlitzer organ at the Capitol Theatre in Melbourne, Victoria in 1924. Weber was the principal recitalist at the Capitol when it closed its organ in 1963. His performance was described as brilliant and whimsical.
“Theatre organs are very special instruments; they have a unique sound that is distinct from the ordinary organ. Those who attended screenings back in the day describe a pure sound fidelity when played in The Capitol—no doubt enhanced by the theatre’s crystalline ceiling,” explains Professor Lisa French, Dean of RMIT’s School of Media and Communication.
“Now, with the final piece of its revival in sight, RMIT is fundraising to reinstall the original Wurlitzer organ, creating an immersive performance environment where audiences can experience the theatre’s full grandeur,” Manager, Venues – Property Services, Marc Morel said.
A Living, Breathing Legacy
The Capitol is more vibrant than ever. By day, it’s a teaching space for RMIT students, and by night, it transforms into a stage for theatre, comedy, film festivals, and cultural events. With fundraising efforts underway to reinstall Eliza, the theatre’s future is as bright as its illuminated ceiling.
“We’re enormously excited about the potential,” says Professor French. “This isn’t just about accompanying live music or performances. Imagine sound and light shows for ambisonics, students recording film soundtracks, or even a new generation learning to play the organ. We’re only limited by our imagination.”
The Capitol’s story is one of resilience and reinvention, much like Melbourne itself.
As theatre-goers sip champagne under its famous ceiling this November, they’ll be toasting not just a building but a century of memories, each flickering like a film reel in the collective imagination of this vibrant city.
A century on, it remains a shimmering jewel in the city’s cultural crown, reminding us all that some dreams, like its ceiling lights, are meant to dazzle forever.
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