Who Benefits?

The Bondi Pavilion Upgrade

Can everyone see me?

Can everyone hear me?

 Are you comfortable in your seats?

Do you know that the toilets are across the foyer there?

Did you notice the foyer also has a café and bar?

And the balcony with a view to rival the STC Wharf?

Welcome to your very own, perfectly functioning theatre/cinema space.

My name is Di Smith, I am a long time Bondi resident, producer and actor on both screen and stage –including this one.

I am also experienced in successfully preserving theatre/cinema spaces

I am an original shareholder of Belvoir St Theatre, a sponsor of the new Eternity Playhouse in Darlinghurst and was in the opening season at the STC Wharf One.

My NIDA year forms the basis of the Griffin Theatre Company, which has preserved the Stables Theatre.

What we have in front of us is an opportunity to get it right.

Like we did at Belvoir St.

Like we did at the Stables.

Like we did at Eternity Playhouse –which amazing heritage building has been lovingly restored by that local Council.

For theatre and cinema -any kind of performance- I want you think about the audience experience for a minute,

 Have you been to the Wharf theatre? Isn’t it marvellous to come out of that comfortable, intimate space to enjoy that deck café and bar?

Been to the Ensemble?

 It’s a terrible stage to perform on but the work there is always excellent and the audiences are usually full, then they enjoy post show drinks look at the bobbing boats at Kirribilli- it’s a wonderful audience experience.

We have the same here, in this very space.

This theatre upstairs, with a foyer, facilities and the deck already in place, is the best location for the theatre in the Bondi pavilion.

Who benefits?

Audiences, community and theatre and film makers alike.

We must take this opportunity, now to get this right, and preserve this as a theatre space.

I notice the blurb for the multi function hall downstairs, cites it as a ‘Performance space for rehearsals, music performances and community use’- but actually stops short of calling it a theatre or cinema

That’s because, as a theatre, it’s a very good basketball court.

Let me explain-

• There is no foyer attached to the space. The audiences must assemble outside the courtyard.
• There is no box office. There is no café or bar in the building.
• There are no toilets –they are across an open space (albeit with a carport roof, which I dare anyone to arrive back dry in a southerly.
• There are no dressing rooms, they are also across the open space and are inadequate.

It’s a hall. Great for a sunny day’s festival with market stalls. Great for a basketball game. That’s about it.

So- who benefits from the existing plan? Demolishing this theatre and creating a restaurant/cafe /meeting space? Restaurants and bars up here? Who benefits?

 Restauranteurs and tourists-not the community, not our creative residents, not our cultural soul. Not our community. Not our cultural potential in the Eastern suburbs.

Sydney developers are famous for razing it’s theatres to the ground

In my lifetime we have lost The Regent, the Paris, Her Majesty’s, The Tivoli. Producers struggle in Sydney to find appropriate venues.

Here are ideas for the future of the space we are in-

• Some of the 13 million could support another resident company in the successful Darlinghurst Theatre model.

(Rock Surfers didn’t leave because the theatre was in the wrong place. They lost their funding. And the success or failure of the productions here also had nothing to do with the theatre being upstairs.)

• Piggyback a  children’s theatre/storytelling  in the daytimes
• Approach an established and funded company like Belvoir or the STC or Griffin to consider a guest theatre season here at the Pavilion Theatre?
• Create a between seasons cinema. We already have Flicker fest here in summer.

It is the job of local government to provide support for the community in development of artistic endeavour. It is not the job local government to provide support for entrepreneurs who see existing community property as fair game.

As I wrote in a letter the other day, it’s a fallacy to think that the artists we so love to praise as ‘Australia’s own ‘ spring fully formed onto the world stage. They cut their teeth in the community. This work is invaluable and should be supported, not expected to make a buck for anybody’s bottom line

Here is that opportunity with the upgrade to get it right.

Here is a brilliant theatre location and, with only a little bit of imagination, a wonderful theatre and cinema space.

Who benefits from keeping a dedicated theatre in the pavilion?

 Everyone!

Lets’ get it right this time.