Saraton Theatre

Timeline of the theatre • 1905: John (Ioannis) Notaras arrived from the island of Kythera (Greece) and joined his father who conducted a food retail shop. • 1908: Tony (Anthony) Notaras arrived from Kythera and joined his brother and father. • Unknown date: The brothers open a cafe in Grafton. • 1926: Saraton Theatre is opened by the Mayor, Ald. W. T. Robinson, on 17 July. He praises the Notaras brothers by saying that the occasion only went to show that there were at least some men in this district who appreciate its value and were prepared to put in all they could to make it a better place to live in. He hoped it would be an example to many others who were reluctant to spend their money on progressive ventures to make this part of the State more attractive from the point of view of up-to-date institutions. • 1932: A fire on the stage on 20 August damaged the floor, roof of the stage, (loudspeaker?) baffle board, screen and curtains. • 1932: 18 November. T. J. Dorgan conducted the theatre, but it was not being used at the time. A detailed description of the decorative colour scheme and lighting is given in the same newspaper for 6 July 1940. It notes also that the cost was almost £4000. The architect was George Rae, from Brisbane. The opening ceremony was performed by Sir Earle Page, MHR, who congratulated T.J. Dorgan Pty Ltd and Messrs Notaras Bros on their enterprise. He emphasised how important it was to provide entertainment during times of war. Although World War II had only been progressing for less than one year, Page gave three principles on how to win the war: The third and most important [principle]of all is to keep up the spirit of the people. Men and women are better able to work hard and continuously if they are entertained. At the front in the last war [World War I] we found the lighter side relieved the tension, kept the men's nerves from snapping. I am sure that in these times we will think clearly, work better, plan straighter if we mix work with amusement, and therefore I am glad to open this place of entertainment • 1944: On 10 May another fire occurred on the stage. The immigration of Greek nationals to NSW showed marked differences in economic sustainability for those who came before 1950 compared to those who arrived during the mass immigration period following World War II. Prior to World War II the numbers of Greek immigrants were small and followed a system of chain migration. That is, one or two members of a family arrived, worked for other Greeks, set themselves up in some form of business, then sponsored one or more members of the family or friends, to come out and work in that business. Businesses were not set up to service other Greeks but to serve the Anglo-Celtic population. The family then attempted to sell the building to the Grafton City Council for $1 in the hope that they would renovate it, but the council rejected the proposal. After long delays due to various issues, the redeveloped Saraton Theatre opened after two-and-a-half years of renovations on 2 September 2010. It then held an official re-opening on 23 November, screening "Grafton at Work and Play", a silent movie which had been screened on the theatre's opening night in 1926. The redevelopment received a National Heritage Award in 2011. The first live performance took place on 7 May 2011, with country music act The McClymonts. == Description ==

The building that comprises the Saraton Theatre and four shops is situated on the western side of Prince Street between the railway viaduct (that crosses the street) and Pound Street. It is one of only two historic buildings on the western side of Prince Street between the viaduct and Fitzroy Street - the other being the Commercial Bank Building - not to have been modified in an unsympathetic, modern commercial manner. The stage is of lightweight construction, recently reclad in "Colorbond" ribbed coated steel sheeting. Portions of the theatre, such as the stairway and floor of the dress circle foyer, and projection box floor are built in reinforced concrete. It is also a typical element of the late 1930s, but has continued through until today. The original display shelves and their backing behind the serving area have been replaced with simple shelves on "peg-board". after entering it from the two flights of stairs that provide access. Windows are opposite the stairs as are also two toilets, above the doors of which are the same type of illuminated signs as over the toilet doors on the ground floor. At the two ends of the dress circle lobby there are (curtained only) entrances to flights of stairs leading up to the dress circle. The (non-original) ceiling light fittings are in a poor condition. The principal alteration seems to have only been the removal of some 20 wall lamps. The rectangular sand-blasted "frosted" glass flush-to-the-ceiling light fittings remain. Fortunately the owners have not been tempted to destroy the proscenium for an extra-wide screen presentation. The proscenium opening is currently about 10 metres wide - sufficiently wide for most travelling live shows if, and when these are permitted. Apart from the now demolished Kings Theatre at Mosman (Sydney), this is the best example in NSW (now the only example) of this type of intricate design of suspended (apparent) weight within a given envelope. Apart from some criss-crossing strapping elements on the bulkhead rise linking the steps in the ceiling, the ceiling plaster repeats elements found in the foyer (except that the edge bands of vertical flutings have been painted gold which helps to accentuate the different levels of the ceiling). == Heritage listing ==

The Saraton Theatre building is highly significant because of its integrity and rarity as an example of a picture theatre built in a small country city during the heyday of the development of, and high audience attendance for cinema (i.e. the first half of the 20th century). As an example of Greek immigrant interest in theatre construction in country NSW to supply entertainment to the majority Anglo-Celtic population, it has been owned by the Notaras family for the 73 years of its existence. As one of only 4 per cent of the country picture theatres built up to World War II, that are still operating in recognisable original condition, both its exterior 1920s style and interior late 1930s style of design provide a now rare insight into the setting of the major leisure activity of the period. Special association with the life or works of a person: As far as is known it only has a modest link to Sir Earle Page, MHR for the district, former long-time leader of the Country Party, Deputy Prime Minister first to Stanley Melbourne Bruce, then to Ben Lyons; and Prime Minister for a brief period. The importance of this link is the importance he placed on entertainment (and therefore their settings) for the general population (as well as the armed forces) during times of war, when he reopened the Saraton Theatre in 1940. The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales. The item is quite important to Grafton and NSW for its aesthetic characteristics - they denoting its being one of the few superior designed buildings of the first half of the 20th century that remain in the commercial centre of Grafton. It is noteworthy for both the external (1926) streetscape and internal rebuilding (1940). For the state of NSW it represents the best of what was built in a country city of modest size - its owners being complimented by the Mayor in 1926 for investing so much money, and for their setting an example to other people in the town whom he hoped would follow suit. The theatre has been noted for its aesthetic qualities, together with a recommendation for its retention, in the 1984 Report to the Heritage Council, Theatres/Cinemas in New South Wales by R. Thorne with K. Cork and L. Tod; and again in Thorne, Tod and Cork (1996, p. 266 ) and Thorne, Tod and Cork (1997, p. 275) where it was claimed that "the theatre is one of the most decorative and architecturally handsome in NSW". The place has strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. The Saraton represents the involvement by Greek immigrants during the first half of the 20th century in the exhibition of films in country towns. Out of the 385 country picture theatres at some time owned and/or operated by Greek immigrants this is possibly the last being operated by members of the family of the original Greek entrepreneurs. It makes a century of involvement in Grafton by the Notaras. The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. The Saraton Theatre, as erected in the period when attending a picture theatre was second only to active (non-professional) sport as a leisure pastime, can be regarded as a physical record of the important social and cultural phenomenon of cinema at a time when going to the pictures was almost a universal regular activity. (Entertainment Tax on admissions shows that many more people attended picture theatres than all sports, including racing, combined, on an annual basis.) This theatre, as with other types of the genre that are in rare quantity in the state, shows young people and future generations what it was like for their forebears to attend cinema and participate in the major commercial leisure and social activity of the time (from, say, 1910 to 1960). The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. The Saraton Theatre is an example of a building type and style that was once common in country towns but now rare with only 14 still operating, and in recognisable original condition to their pre-World War II designs (13 of which were built before 1942). In 1951 there were 385 enclosed movie theatres in 295 country towns in NSW. In 1999 only 66 country towns possess 83 cinema buildings containing 184 screens. (Source for 1951: A list compiled from the Film Weekly Motion Picture Directory, 1951–52 with town entries checked against "urban centres" in the 1954 ABS Census. The source for 1999 is a table compiled by R. Thorne and L. Tod from the Movie Theatre Heritage Register for NSW, 1896–1996, and personal files.) The Saraton is therefore one of nearly four per cent of country picture theatres still operating in relatively original design condition as existed in the first half of the 20th century. Its interior also symbolises the design of many Sydney suburban cinemas that were built or refurbished in the 1930s, almost all of which have been demolished. The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places/environments in New South Wales. The Saraton very well demonstrates the principal characteristics of the settings or environments built in the larger country towns or populous Sydney suburbs for the viewing of the cultural phenomenon of the 20th century namely, movie film-recorded performance of traditional narrative stories, and film-recorded news and information documents. == See also ==