Historical information

Pictured is staff and actors from the new Playhouse Theatre, Melbourne. At some point Theodore Polities (pictured third from left) from Lefkada ran the theatre's confectionary bar and he also took on the operational management of the theatre when it was experiencing financial difficulties. Ithacan Gerasimos Dionysios Gavrilis (know as George Denis Gabriel) appeared in various theatrical productions at the Playhouse. Greek school concerts were also held at the theatre.

Significance

The Playhouse Theatre was situated in the former Aikman Street, South Melbourne (now Southbank) near Princes Bridge and was a venue repertory theatre. It first opened in 1912 as the Snowden Picture Theatre in the days of silent films and was rebuilt in 1916 as legitimate play house theatre. As the Playhouse it was the original home of the Melbourne Repertory Society. It was renamed the Garrick in 1933. The property was sold in 1937 for ₤17 500 ($35 000) to the Australian Paper Manufacturers company following which they donated the seating to the University of Melbourne's Union Theatre.

Physical description

A sepia photograph of eight men and two women standing outside the New Playhouse Theatre (Garrick Theatre).