- Thirty years later: Commemorating the rescue of a cinema by Steven Spielberg
- The role of Elizabeth Evans: Her efforts to prevent the closure of the Lyric cinema
- A tribute to Liz and Dave: Recognizing their lifelong dedication to securing the future of the Lyric
Elizabeth Evans fought to prevent the closure of the Lyric cinema. To the community’s delight, a fax from the mayor to the director secured a screening of the popular film on the same night as its London premiere.
It has been thirty years since Hollywood director Steven Spielberg rescued a “diamond in the desert” theatre from closure.
The UK premiere of Jurassic Park occurred on 16 July 1993, with screenings in London and a modest cinema in Carmarthenshire, West Wales.
Elizabeth Evans, the leader of a Carmarthen youth theatre, had initiated a campaign to prevent the closure of the Lyric cinema and secured a screening of the film.
The mayor of Carmarthen at the time, Richard Goodridge, sent a fax to the film’s director, Steven Spielberg after the distribution company allegedly reneged on their promise.
“I happened to be in the right place at the right time, and I contacted Steven Spielberg through my office in the town and asked if something could be done. As the news will tell you, it was a success that, through his office or his secretary, they allowed a copy of the film to be shown,” Mr. Goodridge said.
“And I suspect that because of the negative publicity that was going to be given to the distribution company, they deemed it best to allow them to screen it on the opening night, at the same time as it was in Leicester Square.”
Mr. Goodridge was portrayed by Harry Potter icon Tom Felton in the loosely based 2022 Sky Cinema film Save The Cinema.
After Ms. Evans advanced the timepieces by 10 minutes, the Lyric was also the first UK theatre to screen the film, Mr. Goodridge discovered.
Mr. Goodridge stated that the Lyric, which is now a theatre, had become a venue for “so many underprivileged youths seeking an outlet for their talents.”
“Thousands of young people have passed through that theatre over the past three decades, and they have gone on to great things,” he said.
Without Steven Spielberg’s contribution, none of those individuals would have become famous actors and actresses.
Mr. Goodridge credits Ms. Evans and her husband, David, for their years of dedication to the Lyric’s future.
“Although I spent only one year in that position and was able to contribute to the preservation of the building, credit must be given to Liz and Dave who spent a lifetime in that position,” he said.
“Therefore, a great number of people owe their careers and fortunes to Liz and Dave, and I’d like to think that while I had a hand in the success of this event, it should be attributed to their memory.”
To commemorate the occasion, the Lyric will also host a special screening of Jurassic Park on Sunday afternoon, followed by three screenings of Save The Cinema on three consecutive evenings.
