about by cinema over two decades, Morton's opinion in 1920 was that " theatrical matters were never more promising than at the present moment". He believed public taste had improved, that revues were on the wane and that people wanted more substantial entertainment. Regarding companies currently buying up picture palaces in Hull, Morton thought that smaller halls would have difficulty; wages were now high, and current expenses were three times higher than before the war. The Era ran a special feature, to which Morton contributed, describing the ongoing financial burden of Entertainment Tax, a 'temporary' wartime measure. The Assembly Rooms did not prosper as a cinema but financial success was achieved in 1923 by converting the main building into a popular dance hall. The adjacent Lecture Hall was converted into a 700-seat theatre and soon renamed the Little Theatre. In September 1924 the Hull Repertory Theatre Company founded by Arthur Whatmore booked a four-week season, followed by 81 plays over the next 6 years. The aim, part of the new 'Little Theatre' movement, was to bring quality contemporary plays to the city. Early in 1925, Morton brought in friend, Ben Greet, and his famous Shakespearean group to perform The Tempest and The Merchant of Venice. They also played for local schools and colleges. In 1925, asked if the broadcasting of wireless concerts was yet more competition for the theatre, Morton said it actually benefited managers and would not significantly affect attendances. It would be foolish to oppose it, "because the wireless has come stay." As regards cinemas, Morton said that although pictures were getting better and cheaper, managers were handicapped by the distributor's excessive charges and the difficult conditions they included in the contracts. In 1928 the Cinematograph Films Act came into force. Its aim was to protect the industry from the dominance of poor quality Hollywood films, to improve the quantity and quality of British films, and to encourage vertical integration between producers, distributors and exhibitors. The effect was mixed and not generally appreciated by independent managers marginalised by this decision. Despite this, Morton declared, "The picture business continues to attract ... the prices of admission are within the reach of everybody. But you must have a good picture backed up by good music and judicious advertising." 1928 was also the year of the 'talkies'. The Majestic was upgraded with a British Talking Pictures sound system. Of the theatre