A NEW THEATRE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 65, 14 September 1911, Page 3

A NEW THEATRE.

<m REBUILDING HIS MAJESTY'S - TO ACCOMMODATE OVEt?, TWO THOUSAND PEOPLE. Wellington is, perhaps, the best show town in New Zealand, but the accofHltto* dation for the pnolic fit Wellington places of entertainment has not been «o good as at other centres. Uecently there has been ft change, and new places are being built and old ones redesigned and rebuilt. In this work of reconstruction Messrs. John Fuller and Sons are taki ing a prominent part. His Majesty's Theatre, the popular picture house, is to be superseded by a splendid struc» tare on the same site. A description of the new design was published in The tost some weeks ago, but since theft the firm has decided to took still further ahead, and build, what should be a model theatre in New Zealand for years to come. The fir*t design, by Mr. H. J. White, of Dunedin, theatre architect, who has done much original work in' construction and reconstruction for the fullers, wa-s for a handsome single_ circle theatre capable of being used either for pic tunes or for the ordinary purposes of the vaudeville and the drama, tn view of recent developments in the theatrical world, Messrs. Fuller decided to enlarge their plans to meet the* demands of a public that year by year extends its patronage of the theatre. Mr. White, therefore, completely recast his plans, and for the past few weeks has been busy with the new design. This is now fclmost finished, and will soon be presented to the City Council for. approval. Th* new design differs very largely from its predecessor. The stage is made touch deeper, and instead of one circle there are now two. The accommodation is increased to a maximum seating «*• padty- of 2300, which will make tiy? theatre, when finished, the largest in New Ziealand. To achieve all this has been a. tax on the skill of the architect. So marty varying conditions hav6 to be reconciled. Th» stage has to be rttAdo large enough to admit of any plays that may bfe produced in this country, th» •eeommodatidn has to be both large and comfortable and arranged in such a way that anybody in the house ha* a view of the screen,, if it is pictures, or of tho efcage if it is a play. The building must be fireproof, and have ample exit doors jn case of fife. It must be strong to resist earthquakes and yet not too heavy in construction as to block the view of the audience. Mr. White has resorted to an ingenious system of eteel construction of his own design throughout. Without nn> due technicality it, may be briefly explained as being a skeleton^ steel gir» ders, joists, and lattice-wo'r™all attached to the steel frame in the outer walls, which in this way are made to carry the thrust of slanting horseshoe circles crowded with people. Three steel pillars, and three only, are found to be adequate in this system to carry the dead weight of the girders. Conse quently, there is little or no interference with the vision. From any seat in the house a full view of the stage will ba olbtained. The best idea, perhaps, of th« principle of the steel 'structure of the circles may be gained from irnagihing both the dress circle and the family circlo as the two halves of a very much "dished" wire-spoked wheel placed coticavely one over the other. The three pillars, standing one at each side and one in the centre of the circles, are con nectcd at their lops by heavy plate girders, forming a sort of outer hub to the semi-circles. Over these and fasten* rd to them radiate a large number of lighter joists, like spokes,' outward an 4 upward, <o meet the steel frame of the front wull of the theatre. Other mem» bers stretching out from the wall frame take off the thrust of the slope, and on top of this are built the ascending tier* to accommodate the seats. These ticca themselves are made of light lattice steel cased in concrete, and add materially to the strength of the whole struc* ture. t Practically speaking, the whote building is rivetted together in a composite steel frame, so that all help to sustain the strains and thrusts and weights, and no part is unduly pressed. Ih the plans ample provision is made tot cloak-rooms for each part of the house. There are two sete opening off the promenade to the dress circle and the family circle ; stalls and orchestra stalls each has separate provision in this direction. The fire-proof corridors on each side of th© auditorium, front which there are numerous exits, will accommodate alt the people in the house. Staircases to the circles are of large dimensions and easy slopes, and theie are special conveniences in the passages connecting the dress circle and the orchestra stalls directly down a few steps. To meet the slope of the large family circle the roof rises transversely to the auditorium in the oack of the house and runs up on Warren girder.*, giving ample support. This provides far mote air space than is usually given .the backs seat* of the gallery. There are no fewer than twelve private boxes in three tiers. The seating capacity of the stalls is about 940; of the dress circle 400, and of the family circle over 900. All preliminaries nve not yet com* plete, and the plans have still to be approved by the council. The steel work will all be done l<xsally, and the "general construction will bt> by day labour, under the direction of Mr. White. Tlw building will take about eight months to" romplctfr, as there is a large amount of initial excavation requited. Adjacent to the theatre Messrs. Fuller are erecting their headquarters offices and stores for the picture business. Special fireproof cellars will be constructed for the storage of films, and there will also be three other stories for the accotnniodft* tion of the staff and material. The frontage includes three shops. The whole work ha-s been de«ign«d by Mr. With '