NEW ROXY THEATRE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22145, 26 June 1935, Page 16

NEW ROXY THEATRE

OPENING FILM TO-DAY i' I MODERNISM IN DESIGN « COMFORT FOR PATRONS • ■■ I'.-: ' ~ Modern in every detail, the new ■t Roxj Theatre will open its doors to tho public this morning. For several days a small army of men has been engaged on the finishing touches and, as a result, a theatre which seemed only half / completed on Saturday is now replete with attractive fittings, comfortable furnishings and arrestingly modern decorations. The simplicity of the present trend in art is the keynote of the whole theatre. Entering the main lobby, where neon lights in a soft shade of green tone with the veined green marble in. which the walls are panelled, one,passes into the foyer, the walls of which are finished with a warmly-tinted plaster. Chromium electric light brackets and the plated fittings of the refreshment stall maintain / the atmosphere of Attention to Acoustic:! The theatre is designed with special •'attention to the main floor. There is a circle, but its accommodation is only limited, and the general construction and design is that of the " intimate " tneatre, which 'has become accepted as the ideal for all but the largest entertainment houses. There will be approximately the same number of seats in the new Roxy, as in the old, slightly ■over 800. " Special attention has been given to acoustics," said the architect, Mr. George Tole, yesterday. "The proscenium arch is calculated to act as a sounding board, and the walls are lined with a sound-absorbing asbestos composition of the same type as is used in the assembly halls of the League of [Nations in Geneva, and in the principal sound-film studios in Hollywood and Elstree. The Roxy is the only theatre in New Zealand to be so extensively lined with this material. The composi- • tion has been proved to absorb 95 per cent of reverberations and as a result ■'audition should be perfect." Decorations of Theatre

The walls of the theatre, which were 'decorated by Amalgamated Theatres' own art staff, are finished in pastel shades of warm yellows and browns, the special Walpamur paint used securing a very pleasing texture. The ceiling is in beautifully moulded fibrous plaster. All lighting in the auditorium is concealed, being either reflected from recesses or veiled by leadlights. The floor is inclined at an angle which ensures ideal lines of risibility from all points. The seats are set at a com-, fortable angle. In the lobbies and on the stairways (an _ attractive rubber flooring has been laid, and to make the theatre sound-proof from Queen Street noises, double sets of massive plate glass doors have been installed, •j Furthering its policy of ensuring the comfort of patrons, the direction of Amalgamated Theatres, Limited, has installed one of the most modern airconditioning plants in New Zealand. Fitted by the Auckland Gas Company, the plant ensures a complete change of air in the theatre every five minutes. A huge fan, six feet in dianieter, above the proscenium, extracts the used air, while fresh air is drawn in, passed j through the plant, heated to any temperature desired, and permeated through the theatre by means of numerous small grills. Policy for Programmes The girl attendants at the theatre will wear very attractive uniforms modelled on the costume worn by Margaret Sullavan in "The Good Fairy." Carried out in royal blue and silver, the uniforms will include long trousers, a tunic and cape, and a tall military cap. "'We shall continue the policy which gave the old Roxy Theatre its success," stated Mr. M. J. Moodabe, governing director of Amalgamated Theatres, Limited, who has guided the conduct of the theatre for many years. "Our motto will still be: 'Popular pictures at popular prices.' We have secured for release a splendid list of attractions from the Fox, R.K.O. Radio, Universal and Columbia studios, and our films will still be mainly of the adventure or 'action' type. We shall continue'to operate in association with the Tivoli Theatre on a doublefeature basis, with a change of programme every Wednesday." The opening programme includes "Under Pressure," with Edmund Lowe, Victor McLaglen and Charles Bickford, and "Life Begins at Forty," Will Rogers' latest comedy. "Under Pressure" deals with the dangers which are undergone in the construction of the great under-river subways, while Will Rogers' film portrays the dry American humorist as an easy-going country editor who seeks to regain the fun of youth. Both these productions are from the Fox studios. Other Fox films to be screened at the theatre will be "When a Man's a Man," in which George O'Brien is the principal; "The Great Hotel Murder," in which the popular "team," Victor' McLaglen and Edmund Lowe, appear together again; "The Daring Young Man," an amusing comedy drama with James Dunn as the leading actor; and "Ten Dollar .Raise," which brings the lackadaisical comedian, Edward Everett Horton, to the screen again. Other Future Attractions

Releases from the Radio studios will inciude a new Wheeler and Woolsey farce, "The Nitwits"; "The Informer," a powerful drama, with Victor McLaglen, Heather Angel, Wallace Ford and Clyde Cooke in the cast; "Straneers All," with May Robson, Preston Foster and William Bakewell as the leads; and "Lightning Strikes Twice," with Skeets Gallagher, Thelma Todd and Ben Lyon in the principal roles. Among the Columbia films to be screened at the theatre will be "The Best Man Wins," with Edmund Lov.e and Jack Holt; "The Black Room Mystery," Boris Karloff's latest horror film; Jack Holt in "The Depths Below"; and "Sure Fire," with Gene Raymond and Ann Sothern. The Universal studios have an interesting list, of which the first two to be released will be "Mr. Dynamite," and "Alias Mary Dow." "Mr. Dynamite" is based on a mystery story by Dashiell Hammett, author of "The Thin Man," while "Alias Mary Dow," in which Sally Eilers and Baby Jane appear, is an ingenious mystery drama.

The builder of the theatre was Mr, N. Cole, t fibrous piaster work was bv Mr. R. A. Stanborough, plumbing by Mr. B. J. Walker, noon lighting by the

- British Neon Corporation, and decoration by the Amalgamated Theatres' art staff under the direction of Mr. Ralph Seagar, and with materials supplied by Hill and Plummer, Limited.