Eternity

If like me you grew up in Sydney in the 1950/60s you would have been familiar with the sight of 'Eternity' written in chalk in a neat and stylised hand on the footpaths of the city. This was the work of Arthur Stace, a former alcoholic who converted to Christianity.

Arthur Stace

According to the link, it is thought Stace chalked the word about 500,000 times. I can believe it.

Now the City of Sydney in conjunction with the Darlinghurst Theatre Company is converting a former Tabernacle into its new playhouse which will be named Eternity Playhouse in Stace's honour. An Open Day was held yesterday morning. Only the foyer, very much in embryo form, was available to the visitors although the shape of the seating area in the auditorium above was clearly visible.

The future foyer of the Playhouse

A quartet was on hand to sing Christmas carols a cappella. In a possible indication of the Theatre company's support base I judged a fair proportion of the visitors in attendance to be older gay males.

The facade of the former Burton Street Tabernacle