THE THEATRE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7889, 19 December 1903, Page 4

THE THEATRE.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,—That the " early door " is not popular is evident from the falling off in its use lately. Those who avail themselves of it, although they object to th-e charge of 50 per cent over the advertised fee for permission to sit in the theatre during the half-hour which precedes the formal opening of the entrances, have; a very substantial grievance , in the inconvenience they submit to in the noise and remai'ks made by some of the "patrons." If the City Council, in issuing the next license t wculd stipulate that the doors, once opened, were to be accessible to all paying the single and legal charge for admission to any special part of the theatre and would require the doors and booking offices to be opened when a certain number of people (say 20) were waiting on the pathway before any entrance, the convenience of all parties would, probably be served. The theatre is nob quite up-to-date, and it is not unreasonable to expect its owners to make its deficiencies as little conspicuous as possible. In the stalls the seats are rather close together, and do not re&dily admit of the bulky intrusions of the vendor of fruit and drinks. Early door folk in the pit often complain that they are pished out of their so-looted places, and find their view suddenly blocked by a pillar, when requested to " move up a bit" for later arrivals, who have possibly " interviewed" an obtrusive pillar previously. The shops for the purch;t-« of day tickets are usually closed on holidays, when people are accustomed to cswrd ti> plaops of entertainment, and a kiosk in tlin Square for ticket sales would }<■) n convenience. An extra, charjre of Id for tho pit and 2rl or 3d for the stalls would possibly be thought- reasonable. Two-thirds of the "early door" uiitght go for the salo of tickets, etc.. and the balance to a tickettnkers' sick fund. —l am, etc.. J. H. XEWLYN. GbrLstchurch, December 18.