I recently visited the Regent Theatre early in the morning. I walked up the stairs, turned right where I’d normally turn left, and found myself in a luxurious room overlooking the street. This is a building that was saved from fire, that the community rallied around to rescue at a time when Melbourne’s heritage was being knocked down on a weekly basis.
And hey, it’s where Hugh Jackman starred in Sunset Boulevard . The sign for Wicked was still up, which has since given way to a sign for Oscar – a newly commissioned work that this week will mark the Australian Ballet’s debut at the almost-100-year-old theatre. The Regent Theatre.
Credit: Simon Schluter It’s a beautiful building, inside and out. The Regent is a space where you can almost feel the history in every nook and cranny – but even if you couldn’t, even if it were a hideous utilitarian eyesore, Lord Mayor Nick Reece’s re-election plan to sell off the space would still be incomprehensible. We love the Regent because of its history, yes.
But we need the Regent because, as a city, we need to hang on to every dedicated arts space we can. Without it our artists will suffer, and our creative future will be dampened . Speaking to The Age at the weekend, Reece said: “I think we can get far more public good done if we sell our share in the theatre and put the proceeds back into the creative industries in Melbourne where a helping hand is needed.
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