Theatre clean-up

Press, 11 July 1980, Page 4

Theatre clean-up

Scrubbing brushes and buckets of soapy water will be the order of the day on Saturday, when 30 volunteers spring-clean the foyer and back-stage area of the Theatre Royal. Mr M. Douglass, one of the theatre appeal organisers, said that the clean-up was to prepare the theatre for its opening night under new management. The group took the theatre over on July 1, although the final payment on the $175,000 purchase price has not been made yet. The “opening” show at the Theatre Royal will be the comedy, “Time and Time

Again," by Alan Ayckbourn, which will open on Tuesday evening. It stars James Bolam and Julie Dawn Cole, who are both well-known for appearances in British television dramas.

Mr Douglass said that there would be an openingnight supper for the subscribers to the company which will own the title to the theatre.

Both the supper and wine had been given by Christchurch companies. The -group was still $40,000 short of the $175,000 purchase price, he said. The public appeal total was $23,000, and more than 1000

people had contributed to it so far. Donations were still coming in, although they had slowed, said Mr Douglass. The group had applied to the Department of Internal Affairs’ Cultural Facilities Committee for a capital grant. The application was for $lOO,OOO over three years.

Mr Douglass said the support shown by the public had prompted the group to make the application. They expected to hear the result by the end of the month. The theatre already had 110 nights booked for next year.