HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE, WELLINGTON

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1679, 4 May 1904, Page 42 (Supplement)

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE, WELLINGTON

(See Illustrations.) Several months ago the Fuller pro.prietary contemplated having the old! 'Choral Hall altered in such a way that it would rank with the majority of the theatres in New Zealand.. With such am object in view they decided' that •at the end of the Christmas pantomime season the house would he closed! to allow of the necessary alterations being made. Mr Oharlesworth, the wellknown architect., was entrusted with i he drawing out of the necessary plans, which were submitted to the City Council authorities, who- with several l modifications passed them. Khe contract was secured by Mr Harbottle, who immediately got to work, with the result that the theatre is now one of the cosiest, though not by any means the largest, in New Zealand 1 . There ds seating accommodation for 1270 people, 900 on the ground! floor and 370 in the dress-circle. A special feature of the alterations are the number of exits in Case of a panic. ‘On the ground! floor there are six, while the patrons of the dress-circle can find their way out of the building by four, -and it is estimated that with the seating accommodation taxed to its utmost "the house could be cleared in thirty

THE WELLINGTON-NAPIER RAILWAY.

seconds. The dress circle is fitted with wooden tip-up Chairs, and the sight line from any part of it is excellent. The (Iterations to the stage have also been done on an extensive scale. The proscenium opening is 25 feet wide by 20 feet high. The stage has also a depth jf 42 feet from foot-lights to the back wall. The dressing rooms, of which there are six in all, are all fire-proof, being constructed of iron, and! lined with iron and lighted! by electricity. On either sidle of the stage: are placed full--dzed hydrants, whilst provision has also been made for the installation of a water curtain. His Majesty’s Theatre is situated in a most central position and as it is ealsy of access from any part of the city, the result is that the Messrs Fuller are liberally patronised) eveiy evening. The motto of the proprietary is “Refined Vaudeville” and it is a rule chat is strictly enforced on all performers. The entertainment given, by the Messrs Fuller at all their theatres is one of solid merits. Thev do: not consider it is wise to bring along one “star” attraction and have the said performer backed up by a lot of med’ocre people, but that *to get the good-will the theatre-goers it must be by giving them a performance in which there is good average talents and not a performance in which there is only on© really good act and the remainder pure and!, simple “chaiser” ones. So long as they go on as they have started so long will they enjoy the success that is being rewarded them for their endeavours to give a really good evening’s amusement.