THE ODEON THEATRE
WESTON SUPER MARE
&
THE COMPTON THEATRE ORGAN
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PART 6: THE THEATRE REOPENS AS
THE PLAZA
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The erstwhile Odeon Theatre Weston-Super-Mare
The Photograph is provided by Mr. Peter G. Young
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Following the sale of the erstwhile Odeon Theatre Weston Super Mare, the building, which was to renamed as the Plaza Cinema, was prepared for re-opening.
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A special opening night event took place on Thursday, 14th December, 2023. At this event, the organist Cameron Lloyd, in association with the Theatre Organ Club, played the Cinema’s Compton Theatre Organ. At future special screenings, Mr. Cameron Lloyd, in association with the Theatre Organ Club, will be offering Organ Preludes prior to the screening.
Awaiting permission for this advertisement to appear here.
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The official opening of the Plaza Cinema Weston Super Mare to the public took place on Friday, 15th December, 2023.
And now ready to reopen as The Plaza Theatre Weston-Super-Mare
The Photograph is provided by Mr. Peter G. Young
The first film to be screened at the Plaza Cinema Weston Super Mare was Wonka. The film tells the origin story of Willy Wonka, a character in the novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964) by Roald Dahl (1916-1990). Prior to the screening, an Organ Prelude was given on the Theatre Organ by Cameron Lloyd in association with The Theatre Organ Club.
Awaiting permission for this video to appear here
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Despite films now being able to be screened at the Cinema, additional renovation is planned for the future, as was made clear in the following article.
On the 21st December, 2023, the following article appeared in the Weston Mercury (The Weston, Worle & Somerset Mercury) announcing that funding had been secured to refurbish the building:
This Article appears here with permission of the Editor of the Weston Mercury
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Mr. Cameron Lloyd, in association with The Theatre Organ Club, played some suitable pieces for the audience on Christmas Eve 2023:
Awaiting permission for this video to appear here
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Click here to see the latest video posted on the BBC website showing Mr. Lloyd at the Theatre Organ of The Plaza Cinema Weston Super Mare.
Awaiting permission for this video to appear here
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The Weston Compton is delightful and if you are prepared to work hard it delivers a great result, but being a small instrument, it does take more skill to create great variety from it, and not everyone has that ability – well, not many in truth! For those who do, it is fabulous!
Quote from an anonymous source
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In conclusion, it is excellent news to know that the erstwhile Odeon Theatre Weston Super Mare, and now Plaza Cinema, along with its Compton Theatre Organ are in safe hands and will continue to offer entertainment to the public for many years to come.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Mr. Peter G. Young for his help in the preparation of this page and for allowing his photographs of the building to appear here.
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