MODEL OF THEATRE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23274, 17 February 1939, Page 12

MODEL OF THEATRE

DOMINION OFFICES NEW /ZEALANDER'S Vi/ORK > <• i ;/• VISIT BY QUEEN MARY LONDON. Feb. 15 'A private visit to the New Zealand offices was made by Queen Mary today. She inspected photographs of the model of a theatre built by Sir. H. C. Harcourt, of Taumarunui. The model of a theatre referred to in.the cablegram occupied Mr. Harcourt six years in the making. His remarkable "piece of work was illustrated jn a page of photographs in The Weekly News of April 6, 1938. The sheet bearing the pictures was sent to Queen Mary by Mr. F. J. Mules, of Sidmouth, Devonshire, a son of the v former Bishop of Nelson, the late _Rt. Rev. C. 0. Mules. The sender received . a letter from Queen Mary's secretary, . the Hon. Margaret Wyndham, in which she said the Queen was so interested ; that she would like to read the descriptive article which appeared in the same issue of The Weekly News in :%hich the photographs had appeared. Mr. Mules forwarded this request to •£ the High Commissioner's office, which communicated with the New Zealand ' Associated Press, Fleet Street, London, : and a; complete copy of the paper was h sent to Queen Mary. It was assumed 5 that Mr. Mules sent the illustrations ;; to the Queen because of her associa- ' tion with the Queen's Dolls' House and '" her patronage of Titania's Palace. The latter was exhibited in Auckland in aid of charity. Mr, Harcpurt's model is 22ft. long and Bft. high—much larger than the Queen's Dolls' house or Titania's Palace, both of which are on a scale of about an inch to the foot. The theatre model, - is an extraordinary achievement and ,J , : shoe's its creator's mastery of at least two dozen arts and crafts. There is

" a total floor space of nearly 300 square feet, and 100 doors and 50 windows, all constructed to detail. There are six interior staircases and four outside emergency stairs. The model is illuminated by about 300 miniature electric lights. The auditorium is complete with pit, dress circle, and bal- ; cony, and there are fully-equipped . lavatories and also bars equipped with " diminutive beer bottles, cigars, cigar- ; ettes, chocolates and fruit. A foyer leads to the auditorium and an electric .elevator provides communication between the three floors. The proscenium is heavily ornamented and there are rows upon rows of tip-up seats, fully ■upholstered. The stage area is spacious and complete with electrical details of the up-to-date theatre. It has two revolving stages.