page_title: Saraton Theatre
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Saraton Theatre / Description
caption_attribution_description: English: Saraton Theatre
context_page_description: Saraton Theatre is a heritage-listed theatre at 95 Prince Street, Grafton, Clarence Valley Council, New South Wales, Australia. It now operates both as a cinema and a venue for live performances. The original 1926 building was designed by F. J. Board and built by J. Walters, while the 1940 interior was designed by George Rae and built by Goddard & Goddard. The property is owned by Notaras Bros Entertainment Pty Ltd. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 9 June 2000.
context_section_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 Saraton building must be viewed in two separate time zones - the exterior that dates from 1926, and the interior of the theatre that dates from 1940.
  The exterior
  The building is substantial, built in (cement rendered) brick with, for the auditorium, a steel truss and corrugated iron roof. 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.
  From the street there is a cantilevered awning of unusual design. It possesses an extraordinarily deep flush fascia finished in almost square panels of fibre (probably asbestos) cement without cover strips. The owners appear to have exercised moderate control over the tenants of the shops insofar that only two have painted signs on the awning fascia, and two have modified the windows on the shop fronts above the awning. Otherwise, the awning, the face-brick facade of the shops above the awning and the rendered almost Edwardian theatre facade above the awning are as original. Seven out of the eleven multi-pane windows in the facade also appear to be original to 1926.
  The soffit lining to the awning is, for the length of the theatre, in pressed metal of an angular Art Deco style design (consistent with the 1940 alterations). The shop-fronts themselves are varied and not of high quality; none, except for a fragment above the door of one being original to 1926.
  The pavement front to the theatre is original to the 1940 rehabilitation with the exception of the double doors or glazed panels at the northern end (in front of the candy bar or former "cafe"). The four sets of 1940 vintage double doors are handsome with their varnished timber finish and heavy triple horizontal, chrome push bars. Above the doors, for their full length, is one of the largest seen (for a single screen cinema) rear-illuminated opalescent program sign to take removable letters (for the films currently being shown). It is also a typical element of the late 1930s, but has continued through until today.
  The interior prior to the 2008-10 redevelopment
  Upon entering the front doors one is in a commodious carpeted rectangular foyer. (The foyer was also carpeted when the building was reopened in 1940; wall-to-wall carpet being indicative of a luxury rarely seen in domestic environments.) The present design gives a modest impression of Art Deco in buff and brown tonings.
  Unlike so many cinemas of the 1920s and 1930s where the stairways were tucked to one side of usually a small lobby, the stairway at the Saraton is on the axis from the front door to the auditorium. For the full length of the foyer, beyond a candy bar off at the right, there is a flight of four risers to a landing directly off which leads the main stair (15 risers) up to a landing, then splitting into two dog-legs back up to the dress circle lobby. This main stair flight occupies almost one third of the width of the foyer.
  On each side of the dress circle stair the lower landing continues to two sets of double doors giving entry to the stalls. The doors contain two almost half circle panels of glass (of typical late 1930s design). Along these extensions of the lower landing are the toilets, each with an illuminated frosted glass panel (above the door) painted with either a man or woman dressed in cocktail or evening dress.of the period.
  The ceiling is in fibrous plaster that, apart from flat sections, uses four decorative elements of what might be termed late Art Deco, but not Art Moderne. They are flat ribs, ribs of cross fluting, longitudinal panels 
caption: External signage
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