A WARM AND FRIENDLY THEATRE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20257, 17 March 1934, Page 33 (Supplement)

A WARM AND FRIENDLY THEATRE.

Tivoli Offers Public Best Features of Modern Development.

TIVOLI! There is quite a lot in a name sometimes, despite Shakespeare’s sonorous dictum on the rose: and with the name Tivoli there is associated thoughts of all that is best and brightest in the entertainment world, brilliant spectacle, witty plot and a happy, laughing audience when the final curtain falls. And now, thanks to the enterprise of Christchurch Cinemas, Limited, this city is to have a Tivoli of its own, a warm, attractive theatre, the exact place in which a pleasing show can fill and round out a satisfactory day—in short, a Tivoli worthy of the name.

For many years the old Everybody’s Picture Theatre filled a big place in the entertainment world of Christchurch. When it was announced that the theatre was to be remodelled there were many who were slightly regretful on purely sentimental grounds, reluctant to see the last of a place in which' they had been afforded such excellent entertainment for so long. But now that the orderly chaos of scaffolding is giving way to the finished product, and the Tivoli has emerged with all its warm modernity from the shell of the older theatre, those people will be more than pleased. For even though some magnificent theatres have been erected in Christchurch during the last few years, the Tivoli brings something new as well as embodying all the best features of the old, and from every point of view completes the perfect setting for the wonderful entertainment with which the talking picture has blessed the present day. The very frontage of the building is an excellent example, and once through the big swing doors the effect is heightened immeasurably. In the entrance hall there is plenty of colour, and a second’s inspection convinces one that it is exactly the right colour. The marbled finish of the big supporting pillars, the fine harmony of every tone, are set off perfectly by the simple yet supremely effective line that has been employed in every detail of utility and decoration. Everything is just right from the mirrored background to the box-office slots in the side walls. The stairs sweep generously to a foyer that in itself is a delight of quiet and restful beauty. Carpetings, draperies, furnishings, decorations, all have that blessed quality of richness which grows on one rather than thrusts itself forward clamouring for recognition, fading off in the mind’s ap-

preciation after the first spectacular attraction. There is a clarity of outline, despite the generosity of the furnishings, that is easy of appreciation and gives an impression of spaciousness that will be appreciated by those who saunter out for their smoke at the interval. In all the appointments the long experience of the proprietorial firm is manifest. It is not enough for a theatre that the auditorium itself be well appointed. There should be no jarring note from the time the patron enters till he takes a reluctant farewell. There is nothing obtrusive at the Tivoli, but everything is there, just where it should be. The human being is a contrary animal, with likes and dislikes that would fill a large volume, and it is an extremely difficult task to cater for everyone’s taste. But the Tivoli should satisfy such an enormous proportion that the minority will be negligible. As soon as the auditorium is reached one realises that here is a theatre with attractions that embody those of one’s own comfortable home, as well as offering an entertainment. The play is undoubtedly the thing: but is not the theatre a tremendous part of the play? No one who sits down uncomfortably and in a querulous mood can expect to enjoy a show as much as the man whose well-being is complete and who, satisfied to the uttermost with his surroundings, waits for the curtain to gO up with happy anticipation. In that respect the Tivoli will offer the perfect environment for the modern talking film. The seating is perfect, embodying every improvement that modern practice has suggested, with ample space between the rows. In the stalls the comfort is of a high standard, and the long gentle fall of the circle provides the last word in theatre accommodation .