On Monday 28 August 1911, The Examiner read...
"It is the interior that will charm the patron most. He will admire the imposing character of the front elevation, shown up as it will be by the blaze of four 2000 c.p. flame arc lamps, but when he gets within it will be to marvel at the magnificent proportions and the artistic decoration of the house, and its complete and varied appointments… The dome and ceiling are a dream of loveliness."
The enthusiastic story about the new Princess Theatre went on to describe in great detail the foyers, the stamped metal ceilings and the dome in the auditorium. The Princess Theatre was officially opened two days later by the Mayor.
There were also a series of 13 circular ventilating windows, which swung on pivots, and with leaded glass behind which were electric lamps. These lamps provided subdued lighting in the auditorium when the general lights were out.
Costing between £14,000 and £15,000 the Princess was built for Mr Marino Lucas, a vaudeville entrepreneur from Hobart. All the work except for the stamped metal ceilings was done in Launceston. Messrs J & T Gunn were the contractors for the building, decoration and electric lighting.
The Earl Arts Centre is an intimate, black box theatre, which was built through the combined efforts of the Launceston community, Local, State and Commonwealth Governments. It was opened in 1993.
The Earl Arts Centre is located at 10 Earl Street, Launceston, directly behind the Princess Theatre.
There are 184 seats in the Earl Arts Centre, which is suitable for a range of smaller productions.
