Upstairs, Sun Theatre, Yarraville

I’ve written previously about my favourite cinema, the Sun Theatre in Yarraville. I also wrote that I had the chance to explore the complex without the inconvenience of any audiences in the cinemas.

I headed upstairs first of all to the lounge area with its porthole window, period furniture and monogrammed Sun Theatre carpet.

The original balcony of the Sun has been converted into The Barkly, named after a former cinema in nearby Footscray. Some of the original decoration has survived on the walls in this area of the building and this was one of the first areas to be restored and re-opened for the screening of films when the owners Michael & Anne Smith formed The Sun Film Society in the mid 1990s.

The decoration consists of a cornice made up of a series of deco chevrons. The lower part of the wall features three broad bands which run from the cornice and curve towards the screen. This design is echoed in the curtain made specifically for this cinema.

Next door is a small cinema called The Trocadero named after another former Footscray cinema. The decoration in this cinema reflects the original features that survived elsewhere in the building. The curtains and central light are fantastic and although I do like to see the original deco features in the Barkly, I am not disappointed when the session is scheduled for this lovely space.