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The Woolton Picture House is one of the few independant single screen cinemas operating in the country. It was opened in 1928 and is situated in the leafy surburb of Woolton in the south east of Liverpool. The current seating capacity is 250.
Having been inspired by playing the Compton electrone organ at the Curzon Cinema in Clevedon, Somerset, I was keen to see an organ installed in a similar location up here in the north west.
After approaching several independant single screen cinemas, the Woolton Picture House got back to me and were very excited at the thought of having an organ especially with Liverpool becoming the European capital of culture!
Being a small cinema and with finances to consider the organ was to be a basic instrument and the cinema left me to find something suitable. Ideally, my first choice would have been a Compton electrone but the sheer weight restricted this. I was keen to have something that looked and sounded as near as possible to a genuine "Wurlitzer" or "Compton" cinema organ of the 1930s.
After a few weeks I discovered an instrument that was in need of a good home and had the bonus of being located in Liverpool. The organ is manufactured by Gem and is of the home entertainment variety but in a 250 seat auditorium is capable of providing sufficient volume. The console is of the "horseshoe" variety and the stops colour coded thus having the look of a real cinema organ! The only real drawback is the 14 note pedalboard and the fact that the range of sounds is rather limited but it does help to recreate the days of the "mighty cinema organ" for 20 minutes or so before the start of the film.
However, it is an organ IN a cinema and I have had the pleasure of being "house organist" for various events including a celebration of the cinemas 80th anniversary in January 2008.
Perhaps the only thing lacking is that it doesnt "rise" up out of the floor!
Liverpool is one of my top favourite places. The people are extremely friendly and have every reason to be proud of their city. The transport system (of which the "Merseyrail electrics" form the backbone) is excellent and is certainly one of the best outside London in my opinion. The architecture is simply magnificent - the "Liver" building being my favourite. The list of artists and groups originating from here is endless with Cilla Black and The Beatles to name but a few.
I offer congratulations to Liverpool in becoming the "European Capital of culture" and am pleased that I am able to contribute in a small way to the life of this city by playing at "the Woolton".
Congratulations Liverpool!
The photograph taken by the Liverpool Daily Post at the end of the show on 10th January 2008. Robert Tarbuck (cashier) is at the front holding a cake made for the 80th anniversary. Then from left to right: Me! (organist), Dave Parr (projectionist), Mark Bretherton (cashier), Eileen Bramwell (refreshments) and Mark Price (assistant manager).
Extract from the Liverpool Daily Post - 11th January 2008. The article states I provided "sound to the images". This is not the case. I actually provided organ music prior to the showing of the films, during the interval and at the very end. The films themselves had sound.
