Saturday, June 24, 2006

So Long Revue Cinema



It comes with much heartache that we announce that the Festival Cinemas will cease operations of The Revue, Kingsway and Royal theatres at the end of June. It is because of your support we have been able to stay in business for almost 30 years, thank you.

This is sad news. When Mr. Nag and I were in the first throes of our romance, back in the days before VCRs and DVDs, we used to go out several times a week for vegetarian Indian food and then to the Revue to catch whatever was playing and to make out. We spent many happy evenings there. The loss of these neighbourhood theatres is symptomatic of a shift in Toronto - not for the better, I think. It's a shame.

The Suburban Amusement Company Ltd. built the Revue Cinema in 1911. Its original address was 320 Roncesvalles Avenue. At this time, much of the Parkdale/High Park was in its early stages of development. John Wright built (the very oldest house in this neighbourhood, on Wright Avenue, in the 1870s.)
The Revue has never closed in its eighty-some years, making it one of the oldest continuously running cinemas in the country.

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