A NEW THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1012, 30 December 1910, Page 4

A NEW THEATRE.

HIS MAJESTY'S %jBE REBUILT*, The enterprising firm of Jolm Fuller and . Sons, having found His ' Majesty's'. Theatre too small and behind-date for the',, requirements oi' their ever-increasing business, have decided on an extensive build--ing scheme, which will mean the demoli-, tiou of the popular, picture theatre ia : Courtenay Place. This old structure, which in its time has played many parts,, is to disappear, and from its dust is ta rise a substantial modern, theatre adapted in. every way to the. requirements of a modern theatre and picture palace. The tlieairo will not occupy precisely the same spot, as the firm has acquired the freehold of -the. two properties immedi-ately:!^-the west of the theatre, at present occupied by Cain's comectionery shop and J. L.- Adams's blacksmith's shop (behind the old cottage for so numv years occupied by the late Mr. llichie, i1.1t.C.V..5.). 'x'his. will enable the r.ew theatre, wbicli will occupy, about half as muvti iianlage as ■ the present one, to be-elated 20 jr 30 feet more to the westwaru. : The space so created on the eastern side wili be occupied with shops. . _ . ■ . The new theatre, which will be planned and built.by Mr. White, of Dunedin (who recently erected the new King's : Theatre for Messrs. Fuller and. Sons, in Auckland), will he built in trick and steel, and. will be as fireproof as it is possible ■to make it. It will be planned to accommodate nearly twice .as many people as His Majesty's, and , the seating - accommodation, will be so arranged so :thafc a clear view of the stage or screen will be obtained from,every seat .in the house. |It is hoped that a start will be made .with the. work towards the end of. next month.

;His Majesty's was originally erected;, over 30 years ago for the United Method-'. ist Free Church, of which the Rev! H. 8.7." Redstone, of Wellington, was "the pastor,, but ultimately the church threw in its, lot with the General : Methodist Church,, and the property passed into other hands,' and was finally secured by Messrs. Fuller ahd'Sons some ten years ago..-.They began their tenure of the place'by: inaugurating a permanent vaudeville show, which ran successfully for .some years during the teiian%V'ol'tHo'Theatife''E6yal by E.'Dix. The firm subsequently secured a lease of'the Theatre Royal (a city pro■perty); and'moved their vaudeville opera- • tions to that theatre. A couple of years ago :they leased His Majesty's: ;to""Messrs.' Linley and Donovan on terms, and when the. term expired took it over, and inaugurated the present picture . show, which has boomed right along. "