Quarter to one on Wednesday afternoon, and the line for movie tickets is out the door.
It’s the school holidays, and the Left Bank Theatre in Thames is doing a roaring trade. The next showing of Dog Man is at 1pm; all the tickets are sold out, and proprietor David Mullholland is behind the counter looking frazzled but cheerful.
“There’s a lot more behind-the-scenes work than I anticipated,” David tells me.
“But it’s panning out better than I’d hoped. I never anticipated it would be so popular.”
This is my first visit to the tiny boutique theatre since it opened its doors in August, 2024; back then David was nervous about whether Thames could support a cinema.
“I’m still learning what Thames likes and dislikes in terms of movies,” he says now, noting the forecasted demand for morning screenings never seemed to eventuate.
“I’ve changed tack significantly this year though. I thought I’d curate an interesting mix of older and newer stuff… But nearly every movie I’m showing now is brand new.”
The change in strategy has seen audience numbers skyrocket, David says. Since August he’s had more than 500 showings, and more than 7000 people have passed through the doors – most of them since he made the switch to new releases.
“I got a significantly lower average number of attendees last year before I understood the importance of getting new movies,” he says.
“People read about them in The Listener, see them on TV, and it piques their interest and makes them want to come.”
Back in the theatre, I herd my entourage of children down the hot-pink hallway to find our seats: a comfortable armchair and a two-seater sofa in the second-to-last row.
The other 25 seats fill up fast. There is no assigned seating as such, but when sessions are full David does his best to ensure larger groups can be seated together. It’s helpful if people book online, he tells me – popular movies sell out fast, and email or phone bookings can only be processed when he’s on the premises.
Mostly, it feels pretty similar to a typical movie experience – we’ve even got some popcorn to munch on, though it’s served in a metal bowl rather than a takeaway box. The vibe is cozy and relaxed, and although the room is small, it stops just short of feeling cramped.
Once the lights go down though, I forget about the room. The 3.3-metre wide screen feels much bigger in the darkness. Surround sound and a digital projector do a superb job of providing the big-screen sensory experience one expects from a movie.
My companions are riveted to the screen for the next hour and a half, and the unconventional seating even allows for easy cuddles during the scary bits.
When the lights come up, it’s time for a quick visit to the bathrooms before we brave the rain lashing the street outside. The cubicles are tidy and well-equipped – easily accessible for families or those with mobility issues.
We wave goodbye to David as we leave – it didn’t take long for the foyer to empty, and now he’s getting ready for the next screening. He’s working on hiring staff to help with the load, he says.
“Things should settle down soon… I’m now able to employ a couple of people part time, which makes it more sustainable on the human front too,” he says.
“I’m very much more confident that the cinema is sustainable and here to stay.”
Overall it’s a successful trip, my pint-sized pals assure me. While it’s no luxury big-box theatre experience, it doesn’t need to be. It’s friendly, cozy, quirky, and decidedly Thames – a great way to spend a couple of hours.
