IT’S been 100 years since the building now known as Astor Theatre was raised on the corner of Beaufort and Walcott Street. The owners are celebrating the centenery by continuing its roots as a live performance space.
A landmark of Mount Lawley architecture, back in 1915 the place was designed in federation free classical style, built for a mix of vaudeville and lantern slide shows with retail stores out front. When film took off it started showing movies, and was rebranded the “Lyceum Theatre” in 1922.
The now-iconic art deco frontage didn’t come around until 1938 when the owners undertook vast inter-war renovations, renaming it the State Theatre in 1938 before settling on the Astor Theatre in 1941.
After the golden age of cinema, and with TVs widespread through the 1960s, custom declined.
A state heritage assessment states the Astor started showing pornographic films to stay afloat, causing a minor scandal back in the day with the headline Cloud over Astor Theatre hitting newspapers.
It would change hands a few times over the decades before photographer Bruno Zimmermann — who owns it still — bought the place in the 1990s.
Mr Zimmermann kept showing movies through through to 2008 but, “cinema was no longer an option,” he told the Voice. He says distributors favour the big multiplexes and massive screens. Sometimes he’d only be offered reels after they’d been showing at bigger places for a few months.
The closure of the Astor as a cinema would see it return to its roots in the live performance of music and comedy (it was recently packed out for a community meeting about the failed council mergers).
“What it was built for 100 years ago is still going strong,” Mr Zimmermann’s daughter, Tania says, and even on weeknights the performances draw healthy crowds.
On Saturdays it’s the heart of the revitalised neighbourhood, and keeps nearby bars and restaurants packed with punters waiting for the show to start.
For the centenary gig the Astor is continuing the live performance theme, with Regurgitator headlining, along with local acts Sugar Army, Boys Boys Boys and Day of the Dead. It’s December 18 and tickets and info at http://www.astortheatreperth.com
by DAVID BELL
Perth Voice Interactive 
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