Plaza Cinema, Stockport, Art Deco movie theater in Stockport, England
Plaza Cinema is an Art Deco movie theater in Stockport, England, built with a double-height auditorium decorated with Greek and Egyptian motifs. The exterior is clad in glazed architectural terracotta, and the interior walls carry a high level of ornamental detail throughout.
The theater was built in 1932 by cutting into a sandstone cliff to make room for the auditorium. During World War II, the space was used as a shelter for local people during air raids.
The Plaza still has its original Compton theatre organ, which is played live during classic film screenings and special events. Hearing it in that setting gives a sense of how a night out at the cinema once felt for local audiences.
The building has several levels because part of it is dug into the rock, so the layout can feel unfamiliar at first. Allow a little extra time on arrival to find your way around before the screening begins.
The Plaza is one of a very small number of cinemas in Britain that still has a working theatre organ from the 1930s in regular use. The organ was not just kept for show but is actually played during live events, making each visit a different experience.
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