Kino Teatr

Norman Road, St Leonards, 01424 457830

WHEN Olga Mamonova and Russell Baker moved into their Norman Road art gallery in 2001 they were unwittingly using St Leonards’s first purpose-built cinema as nothing more than a storeroom.

Last night, more than 35 years after it closed its doors, the former Kinema reopened as Kino-Teatr, a multi-use arts space, with the UK premiere of Seamus Scanlon’s IRA drama The McGowan Trilogy direct from New York.

“The cinema was literally bricked up,” says Kino-Teatr’s assistant programmer Oriel Bathurst. “Nobody really remembered it was there.”

Work began on transforming the space just before Christmas, which as well as a 100-capacity multi-functional space will also include a restaurant and bar.

“If the space was just a cinema we would lose so much,” says Bathurst, daughter of actor Robert Bathurst who is on the Kino-Teatr advisory panel alongside playwright Sir David Hare, journalist Kathryn Flett, film-maker John Maybury and writer Kim Fuller.

“We are setting up a programme now, and are in conversation with the BFI about a cinema programme.”

Aside from The McGowan Trilogy the only other event programmed so far is a performance by The Near Jazz Experience on Friday, July 17 from 7pm.

It is hoped the space can be used for more live music, cabaret shows and children’s cinema afternoons.

“We are talking to people and seeing what they want,” says Bathurst. “We are looking for high calibre theatre and will be going around the festivals looking to bring more over.

“We are keen to make this a community space too, so everybody feels they can use this.”

Although the Kino-Teatr will be run as a separate space from the attached gallery, it is inevitable there will be some crossover, especially as visitors will have to walk through the Russian-themed gallery space to get inside.

“We really want to have a Russian film festival,” says Bathurst. “Olga is very passionate about that culture, and I don’t think there is one in England at present.

“The restaurant and cocktail bar[which opened last night] will have a real Russian element too.”

*The McGowan Trilogy is at Kino Teatr until Sunday, July 12, from 7pm. Tickets from £20. Visit kino-teatr.co.uk