May 16 marked 75 years since The Labia Theatre, at 68 Orange Street in Gardens, Cape Town, was officially opened by Princess Labia, whose noble Italian family funded and lent their name to it in 1949.
Originally a ballroom for the Italian Embassy next door, the space soon served as a venue for theatre production before becoming, in the 1970s, Cape Town's home of alternative cinema and festival screenings in a reincarnation that’s made it the oldest surviving independent repertory cinema in South Africa.
The transformation of The Labia from a mixed-use film and theatre venue to a cinema was completed in 1989 when the building was bought by Ludi Kraus, a former lawyer who converted it into the popular, historically resonant art circuit complex beloved by generations of Cape Town film buffs.
Kraus, who was raised in Windhoek in what's now Namibia, grew up in a kind of African version of the world conjured by Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore in his 1988 film-celebrating classic, Cinema Paradiso. His father ran a small cinema in the early ’60s and, as a teenager, Kraus would spend his school holidays helping run the business.
When he arrived in Cape Town in the ’70s, Krauss left the magic of the movies behind to pursue more prosaic studies in law at the University of Cape Town (UCT).
As he recalls: “I started at The Labia on September 1, 1989, having left law practice the day before. After a break of one night, I started at the theatre. My biggest challenge was to come to work in jeans as opposed to a three-piece suit. Getting rid of my tie was the hardest thing — it took me quite some time.”
When he took over, The Labia was a dual venue for film and theatre and, as Krauss describes, neither worked well. “They weren’t complementary from a performance point-of-view. I chose to go the cinema route and we started showing solely films.”
Krauss set about reconfiguring the space for its new all-cinema focus. The projector screen at the back of the theatre productions stage in the main theatre was brought into the auditorium as the star of the show; the too-close-together cinema seats, (you literally sat with your knees under your chin) were changed to accommodate moviegoer comfort, while retaining their historical significance as the original seats that had been there since 1949.
Today, reupholstered and cleaned, those seats remain in The Labia’s Screen One. An upstairs space, formerly used as a theatre rehearsal room, was converted to Screen Two, and is now an intimate 48-seater cinema with new seats that Krauss feels he’s finally got right after 35 years of tinkering.
A double-storey garage on the side of the building was converted into the 64-seater Screen Three and the old theatre’s backstage area provided the space for the film complex’s fourth cinema. The original ticket and concession counters were kept and remain part of the charm of the complex.
Just over a decade ago The Labia asked for the assistance of its dedicated audiences to help it raise money to bring its operations into the digital era by purchasing a Digital Cinema Projector (DCP).
Krauss is still moved when he thinks of how the patrons came through and helped the crowdfunding campaign reach its target.
“I'm so grateful for that support and to our audiences who've stood by us through the years.” Krauss’ audiences take a keen interest in The Labia and what happens to it.
“We dare not change one brick without consulting first. I sometimes find myself saying, ‘If everyone runs The Labia, why am I the one paying the rent?’”
A few years ago, in a change patrons approved of, the building obtained a liquor licence and opened a terrace where customers can enjoy drinks before and after the films.
Initially, from 1989 when he took it over, The Labia’s programming was influenced by Krauss’ cinematic tastes. He says when he first came to study in Cape Town in the ’70s, there were great Cape Town film festivals.
“I developed an interest in foreign language films and art films, so my leaning is towards art in movies.” But, over time, and in light of the challenges faced by restrictions during the Covid pandemic, Krauss acknowledges that he’s had to water down his taste to keep up with changes.
“Covid changed things — people got used to watching at home. Since Covid we’ve had to up the ante at the cinema.”
The introduction of DCP has also meant the cinema can keep up with current releases. “In the past we had to wait for celluloid prints with subtitles to come off nouveau screens. Now, with digital presentation, we can get films on the day of release.” He's keen to point out that he and The Labia staff, are still “cherry pickers”. “We concentrate on the best on circuit. We show quality films — a combination of artistic merit and the ability to sell tickets to keep the lights on.”
The Labia marked its 75th anniversary with a red-carpet screening of Richard Linklater’s latest film Hit Man and is running a programme of classic films including works by master Golden Hollywood era director Billy Wilder including Some Like it Hot, The Apartment and Sunset Boulevard, and a selection of films paying tribute to the late, legendary Italian film composer Ennio Morricone who provided the immortal scores for hundreds of films including Once Upon a Time in America and Days of Heaven.
For Krauss, the opportunity to provide local audiences with the rare opportunity to see classic movies on the big screen is one that makes him say,“Thank goodness we can still show real films! Having Once Upon a Time in America on the big screen is better than watching an average film. We can’t just show Marvel films or stupid comedies. We have to show at least some good movies to keep cinema alive.”
As it looks towards an uncertain future for both independent cinemas and multiplexes, Krauss is optimistic The Labia will continue to be a unique place for film lovers with reasonable prices and with an historic, old-school atmosphere.
He doesn’t regret his decision to leave his law career behind for the challenging but rewarding world of cinema management. “I'm in a fortunate position. I was able to leave what I fell into doing — law — to do something I’m passionate about. We’ve got real characters here. There’s a great relationship between the staff and patrons that’s carried on for years.”
* The Labia’s 75th anniversary film selection runs until the end of May. For more information click here
