State Theatre — Attraction in Sydney

Stately, prestigious, defined and romantically elegant. The State Theatre is a monumentally important addition to Sydney's diverse and dotted landscape of arts, culture and music. It has been graced with wonderful theatre productions, film screenings with celebrities and musicians (such as (Shirley Bassey, Whoopi Goldberg, Harry Connick Jr.) taking the stage and capturing Sydney's hearts.

Otherwise known as State Building, the heritage-listed theatre is nestled comfortably within Sydney's busy CBD area - getting there is no issue as it is a landmark building. Surrounded by public transport, taxis and a nearby train station, it is equally accessible as it is beautiful. Standing the test of time since 1927, it still maintains regular attendance of locals and foreigners to its widely popular annual Sydney Film Festival in which the cream of the crop in films get played to a starry-eyed audience.

Designed by popular architect Henry Eli White (in conjunction with the American architect juggernaut, John Eberson) its beauty soars with fly-tower stages, renaissance paintings, glorious mezzanines, Gothic-inspired facades, neoclassical stairways, cushy spaces and an overall comfortable sense of grandeur, reminiscent of a golden era of class. At the same time, its opulence is also trimmed by its vastly important role during the great depression of the 1930's and into WWII, slowly becoming a visual symbol of entertainment for the masses - an escape from a frightening and tumultuous period in Australian history.

During the baby-boomer generation, there was a desire to establish Australia as a strong economic country, post-depression. Multiculturalism brought an influx of new varied tastes which assisted in bringing international acts to the State. Since then, it has continued to grow and become even more prevalent as a Centre in which diversity can thrive through the arts.

To corroborate this splendid history, my last personal experience with the State was when grammy-award winning Pat Metheny and has his troupe brought their electrifying performance to Australian shores. Never has an auditorium sounded so good, so acoustically pleasing and 'intelligent' within the halls of the State. As the drums melded with the thumping bass sounds, thunderous clashes were eased by Pat's guitar as he symphonied a variety of signature sounds that bounced throughout the auditorium and into our comfortable ears.

It truly is a strong attraction within Sydney and one that I would highly highly recommend visiting if new to the area. Hell, if one were to have a field trip, this would be the icing on a venerable cake in Sydney's unique...

My original theatre partner is being treated with chemo and was unwell so she forfeited her ticket to a friend. We therefore sat at the back of the cinema in disabled seats.

This led to a lot of rude behaviour. After forfeiting one of our seats to our neighbour who was complaining about the task person she was stuck behind (so we were nice!), her and her husband "shooshed us", twice. After the intermission , any time we whispered to each other, the staff "shooshed us".

There were people in all rows ahead of us conversing quietly (mouth to ear, just like us) but they didn't get a "shoosh". Either someone was upset that we were in a disabled section without having a physical disability (that they could see) or we were were picked on due to our terrible neighbour. We were no louder than anyone else in the audience, just an easy target. Lazy staff shooshed us as we were at the back but didn't see them do it to ANYONE else.

Too bad if you did have a physical disability...it made no difference in seat spacing nor were there intermittent gaps like most cinemas disabled section . Nor were the staff cognizant that disabilities could be cognitive, behavioural, physiological psychological , auditory, etc.

At the end of the night , we were asked to leave because they were closing the cinema (immediately post show, after using the restroom). There was a line of approx 100 people lined up to see the performer, but as I was only taking photos, apparently i needed to go.

The show was wonderful, The theatre beautiful the seating terrible, the staff lazy and rude. If All my favourite performers were to put on a show at the State...

Stepping inside this theatre feels like walking into a jewel box. The foyer glows with warm light, marble, and ornate ceilings that make you slow down before you even find your seat. Ushers are on to it from the moment you arrive, quick with directions and happy to let you take a minute to admire the chandeliers and the grand staircase. I turned up a bit early and was glad I did. You can soak in the detail, grab a drink without a scramble, and settle before the crowd hits its pre show rush.

Inside the auditorium the mood lifts again. The ceiling is a show on its own, the curtain rises cleanly, and the whole room feels intimate even though it is large. Sound is clear and full, the kind that wraps around you without getting harsh. Sightlines are better than I expected. From the stalls you feel close to the stage, and from the dress circle you get a lovely sweep of the set with only the very front rows at risk of a rail in the frame. Seating is comfortable, legroom varies a little by row, and the temperature sat in that sweet spot where you forget about it five minutes in.

Service is smooth at interval. Bars move at a decent clip, staff keep lines tidy, and pre ordering a drink means you can skip the shuffle. Bathrooms are well kept and clearly signed so you are not clock watching instead of enjoying the show. A few tips. Arrive early to explore, bring a small bag to glide through security, and aim for an aisle seat if you like a touch more space. Walking out afterward, the city feels louder and brighter, which is how you know you have been...