ANOTHER PICTURE THEATRE OLD OPEBA HOUSE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 72, 26 March 1914, Page 7

ANOTHER PICTURE THEATRE OLD OPEBA HOUSE.

Since the flr&t permanent picture show ■was established in Wellington by Messrs. linley and Donovan some six years ago the moving picture business has grown rapidly. His Majesty's (old building) held tne first permanent show, and when Messrs. Linley and Donovan's lease expired the ground landlords (Messrs. John Fuller and Sons) commenced in the picture business, while The King's Theatre was built for West's, Ltd., and Messrs. Linley and Donovan. Then came the continuous shows. Of these there are in Wellington now no fewer than five. An evening house and two evening houses at Newtown complete the list for the present ; but more are promised, and the latest announcement is that another company has secured a long lease of the old Opera House in Manners-street from the Wellington Opera House Company for the purpose of converting it into a continuous picture theatre at the popular rates of admission, associated with continuous houses. The new company has naturally acquired a lease of long term as the necessary cost of remodelling, alteration, and rehabilitation of the Opera House will, according to the architect's estimate, run into some thousands of pounds. The facade of the building will be entirely altered, and the new front will be embellished by a scheme of electric lighting effects. Tiie interior is to be remodelled : the ground floor will be lowered, the galleries readjusted, and arrangements arrived at whereby every patron in the theatre will obtain an uninterrupted view of the picture sheet. Special attention will be paid to the, seating accommodation, which will be of the latest style and best quality throughout. The usual order of interior lighting (through the effects of which patrons are obliged to find their seats in the darkness) will be superseded by a new idea of arranging lights, the advantage of which will be to enable patrons to distinguish seats even while the film is being screened. The decorations will be carried out under the direction of Mr. George Coulter. The remodelling begins at once, and .the house will open and present its first exhibition of pictures on or about 14th May.