...the old majestic theatre...

Before the invasion of Golden Screen Cinemas in shopping malls, there stood the mighty theatres like Cathay, Rex, Capitol, Odeon, Wembley and Majestic. They were known as theatres then, because in the 40s and 50s, there were live shows and live appearances by celebrities before or after screening certain movies.

Cathay is now occupied by Kamdar, Rex by Meiko, Capitol flattened where Komtar stands now, Odeon has been resurrected and showing Indian movies after years unoccupied, the Wembley will be pulled down soon in the similar fate as Capitol and Majestic, left vacant for years.

To end the Chinese 7th month, before the hungry spirits go back to their underworld, I will share my last ghost story for the month with the sightings and sounds heard in the old Majestic Theatre. The building was erected in 1926.

Located in the small lanes near the old Penang Police Station, Majestic is still standing tall but the facade is almost unshowing how popular it was. The state of it is deplorable. There used to be a rojak stall right infront of the theatre but since it has moved to Swatow Lane (the corner coffee shop), Jalan Khoo Sian Ewe is so unpopulated, except for a row of pre-war houses on the opposite of the theatre. The wooden billboards that once displayed posters are beyond recognizable.

Anyway, back to the story. The streets lamps are dim, only the bright lights of a corner Mamak Makan Shop would throw it's dim lights on the building.

It has been reported many times by the residence nearby, that they hear people laughing or even sobbing of a woman from inside the now empty theatre. Also, there were sightings of apparitions along the corridor on the top floor.
There was a lady who took her 3 year-old child out for a night walk along that road. Upon approaching the theatre, her child clung to her in fear. Did not know what was wrong with the child, she carried the 3 year-old and continued strolling. Then she heard laughter from the top corridor of the building. She looked up and squinted her eyes and she saw a silhouette of a lady waving at her. At that moment, her child was crying and hung onto to her tightly. She turned back to confirm what she saw, but a mass of hair billowing away from the corridor in to a dark corner of the room.

Then there was this trishaw Ah Pek who used to park his vehicle after a hard day's work. One night, as he was dozing off on his passenger seat, he heard some voices talking behind his back. He turned around and could see nothing. Brushing off that, he was about to doze off again, when he heard some laughters in the empty cinema foyer. Gathering his courage, he peeked in between the iron grills and could see nothing in total darkness. Suddenly, there were glows of greenlights floating in the empty dark foyer. He too, out of curiousity, watched the greenlights moving from one corner to the other...and suddenly, a hideous face stared back at him. Now you do not see Ah Pek parked his vehicle there anymore...if he is still around.

So here are some pics I took of the once majestic buliding...peer in and see if you could see anything in the shadows...till then....good night...

P/S That is the best my digi cam can do in the darkness...

PP/S Notice the orb like object in the second picture in front of the pillar??? What is that???