Inside the darkened auditorium of the Troxy in Stepney, east London, it sounds as though an orchestra is in full swing. But the tremendous noise, which seems to be emanating from the very walls of the Art Deco cinema, is being made by one man playing a remarkable and historic instrument.
With four keyboards, hundreds of levers and a bewildering array of pedals, the gleaming white and gold Wurlitzer pipe organ in the centre of the stage is the first such instrument to be installed in a major UK cinema since the 1930s – and it has given its debut performance.
Built in the United States in
he instrument was shipped across the Atlantic to London where it entertained audiences at the Trocadero in Elephant and Castle. But it was removed in 1960 when the building stopped functioning as a cinema. It is owned by the Cinema Organ Society, which in 2010 selected the Troxy as a suitable venue and has since raised £275,000 through donations, bequests and grants to finance its relocation.