Early Theatre in a Young Canadian Town
In 1859 the Victoria Philharmonic Society was formed with Judge Mathew Begbie as its first president and R. G. Marsh as musical director beginning a long history of The Arts in BC’s Capital City. That same interest in The Arts proved to be the lighter side of our famous ‘Hanging Judge’ whose 6’3” inch frame was often seen around the city sporting velvet tights, colourful vest, wispy ruffled cravat, and a long flowing cape!
He purchased the old Hudson Bay Company fur warehouses on Government Street converting them into the first Victoria Theatre which seated a paying audience of over 500. This ran successfully until 1867 when it changed its name to the Royal Theatre. It became the home of Victoria’s first amateur theatre club producing Shakespeare and many political satires with gifted local actors and comics. Admission prices ranged from 50¢ - $1.50, expensive in those years, but with proceeds going to some worthy charity, few complained.
Also in the 1860s, a room at the corner of Johnson and Government Streets under Goodacre’s Meat Market was converted into the New Idea Theatre specializing in light comedy and minstrel shows. This theatre later became the Colonial Theatre, then the Omineca. Also about this time, Moore’s Music Hall appeared at the northwest corner of Yates and Langley. That site later became the Federal Building and in more recent years housed the Main Post Office. Touring groups performed in the Royal Hotel on Wharf Street which would became the Occidental, situated where the Salvation Army stands today at the bottom of Johnson.
In 1885, many of the city’s noted families invested in a new Victoria Theatre promoted by John Austin, a government official and real estate agent, who gave up his well-paid job to lead the theatre company. It opened in 1893 with Robert Dunsmuir and Mayor Rithet on stage and every socialite on the Island in the audience. This proved no guarantee of success and closed within two years.
Victoria in 1897 was the only place north of San Francisco where the newly invented movies could be seen—the sensational moving pictures. These were first shown in either the Searchlight Theatre on Fort Street or the Trilby Theatre in the Duck Building at the corner of Johnson and Broad. There has always been some controversy as to which was first.
The Searchlight Theatre was somewhat primitive as no seats were provided. Maynard Macdonald, the projectionist, hand-cranked a twenty-five foot film strip through his machine while shouting a description to his audience. Shows lasted ten minutes and the price of admission was ten cents.
The Savoy Theatre opened in 1899 at Government and Yates then changed its location to 50 Johnson Street and became the Savoy. It changed again to the Rio when bought by the Pantages chain in 1907.
Vaudeville first came to Victoria in 1900, brought in by Alex Pantages at the Orpheum Theatre, which was originally the A.O.U.W. Hall and later became the Princess Playhouse, the Plaza, and the Haida. Reg Hicks ran pantomimes at the Princess from 1908 until the 1940s.
One hundred years ago at Christmas 1904 when the city was only 42 years old, barely an infant in the world of history, men of foresight and adventure were responsible for creating many options for entertaining city residents. The Victoria Theatre offered a musical, “A Chinese Honeymoon” and The Redmond Theatre a play entitled, “Niobe.” The Grand, The Savoy, and Dallas Hotel featured vaudeville and Robert Jamieson, manager of The Grand, advertised pigs and sheep in his acts.
At 25 to 50 cents a seat, I can assure you Christmas was alive and well in this far-flung outpost of the Commonwealth. Drink was cheap, with Port, Sherry or Claret at 50¢ - $1.50 per bottle and, strong liquor at under $3.00 per bottle. No wonder we had the reputation of being a tipsy society.
During the First World War, Mister Hicks, a well-known actor, ran a continuous show for four years under the sponsorship of the local Red Cross raising thousands of dollars for soldier comforts. Gertrude Huntly Green, the famous Victoria pianist often gave of her talents to assist the cause.
At 109 Government Street, the Delmonico Music Hall had sellout crowds in its 600 seat theatre. The McPherson Playhouse once housed the Totem Theatre and Jeune Bros. on Johnson was the home of the Bijou Theatre.
By Christmas 1920, theatres all over the city were showing silent moving pictures. Live theatre at the Royal featured, “Maid of the Mountains,” a musical imported directly from London, and the Criterion, a night spot in the Belmont Building, advertised itself as Victoria’s finest and largest cabaret. The Romano had a mystery drama and the Columbia a play featuring the great Houdini. Thomas Plimley was selling gramophones with three free records for $13.50 to $65.00.
Talking pictures arrived in Victoria in 1933 at the Dominion with the movie, “The Crimson Paradise.” Marlene Dietrich and Gary Cooper were young Hollywood stars and you could dance at the Crystal Gardens for 25 cents. Radio emerged with the Colonist newspaper printing a list of stations and programs available to Victorians—CFCT Victoria, CJOX Vancouver, KGO San Francisco, and Columbia Broadcasting System.
Over the years, Victoria has been a city well able to interest and amuse its citizens, always on the leading edge of new and exciting attractions and it hasn’t changed much has it?
J. Robert Whittle is the author of the 2-book “Victoria Chronicles” set in early 20th century Victoria, BC.
