THE NEW-HIS MAJESTY'S.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1620, 11 December 1912, Page 3

THE NEW-HIS MAJESTY'S.

A FINAL RUSH. Mr. H. N. White, designer and builder of his Majesty's Theatre in Courtenay Place, for Messrs. Fuller and Sons, is making a fino effort to get the new theatre ready for the year-end holidays. To the lay mind the task seems almost impossible, even on the closest, inspection of what has been done and what yet remains to bo done. There is a good fortnight or threo weeks' work in the completion of tho front elevation iu the bricking off of tho main cornice and ornamental pediment. Otherwise tho front is pretty well finished, and tho removal of the web of scaffolding will reveal a handsomo exterior. Night and day the work has proceeded inside during . the past month, and rapid progress has been made. Every ''ay now tells a story. Both gallol'ies are completed, and their doors of concrete have boon covered with jarrah timber, which is known to be one of. the slowest burning woods. The platforms are ready to receive tho seats, but they will not be placed in position until the plastering of the gallery ceiling is completed. The top gallery or family circle is one of the largest in Australasia. Tho perfect segment of the circle it describes gives the gallery a very big sweep,' and as it has been brought well forward it has u surprising depth. One of the chief decorative features of tho interior of the rew His Majesty's Theatre is -the central design of the roof. This does not take the form of the conventional dropped dome, but is merely an eliptical design in fibrous plaster in high relief. Within the elipse—a massive frame in heavy relief—are numerous chubby-limbed Cupids winging their way round tho ring, which encircles a huge electric light, centered in a rose of blazing golden rays. Tho ornamental work is tinpe-1 with gold, and tho ground-work is artistically shaded from deep rose pink to white. Tho same colour scheme is to bo used in lonnection with the decoration of tho boxes and proscenium, which have yet to bo attended to. The balustrades are in .position; but have still to receive their final dressing. So far there is no ground floor laid, but that will probably be commence.l this week as soon as tha ceiling scaffolding has been dismantled. The staircase v/ork'is'wcll in hand. It is all nf concrete,! and-as far as the dress circlo it is to bo stepped with Sicilian marble, which work is now proceeding.

To facilitate the'work, Messrs. Fuller and Sons have closed down their picturo show at the Skating Rink, and that place is being used to paint the cast-iron .Lacks and frames of tip-up upholstered seats to bo used in the dress circle and stalls. Theso seats aro made from Mr. White's own design, and are exceedingly comfortable chairs of their kind. Mr. John Fuller states that he is making all preparations to open the new theatre on Boxing Night, but does not yet know if they will be able to manage it.