THE QUEEN'S THEATER.

Evening Star, Issue 3084, 7 January 1873, Page 3

THE QUEEN'S THEATER.

On Friday next Doped ip will again he able tq boast tfiat it possesses two theatres, the fatest addition to its places of public amusement being the hall erected in Princes street by the Friendly Societies, and known as the Queen’s Theatre. A description of the offices and buildings having already appeared in thc-e columns, wo hqvp now to dpal with the appearance t he Theatre presents after having undergone some modifications in design, and as it is likely to appear on the opening night. The principal alteration is in the entrances, which are two in number, each eight feet wide. The one leading to the stalls is the nearest from Dowling street, aud it gives access to the girole j by that nearest Moray place, admission tq the pit is gained, A farther

entrance to the stalls is provided from Moray place, but that, we imagine, is only intended to be used in cases of emergency. The | inside of the Theatre is at the present moi merit wholiy given up to the carpenters and ; scene painters, who are as busy as they can possibly be pro] aring for the opening, so 1 that only an imperfect idea can be formed ;of what the house will look like. But what 1 the visitor cannot fail to at once notice is the large amount of space devoted to the dress circle, and the manner of its formation; and in this, we are inclined to think, will be the chief drawback. The circle, which provides an immense amount of sitting room — sittings, we believe, for 320 persons, in addition to a large promenade—appears to have been carried forward too much, to the injury of what experience has proved to be the most profitable part of a Dunedin theatre, viz., the pit. Our contributor “ Prompter ” was. however, wrong in his opinion that this defect operated against the view to be obtained from the pit, as quite as good a view can be obtained there of the stage as there is to be got at the Princess’. A person standing at the back of the pit in the Queen’s Theatre can see ten feet of the drop scene ; if he occupies the second or third seat from the back he sees about fourteen feet, and as the stage rises at the back the whole of the scenery will be visible. The difficulty, then, will be in getting the occupants to bear what is going on before them, and this difficulty will be most felt when the Theatre is let for dramatic purposes, It must be here remarked, however, that the arrangements are at present merely experimental; and as they are found to answer oi otherwise, so will the action of the managing committee be affected. For example, the roof of the Theatre is now quite flat in the centre, and falls slightly to the sides ; but if the acoustic properties do not answer, an elliptical dome will be formed by dropping the centre, and throwing up segments on each side. So, too, little or no decoration will be done for the present. The lighting in front will be from two sunlights ef 4ft. Gin. diameter, with enamelled shades, one over the stalls, and the other over the circle ; and from a number of burners round the circle and walls of the pit. The footlights will be eighteen in number. The ventilation will be excellent, means being provided at the sides of the circle for a copious supply of fresh air, which will be ingeniously circulated over the house and beneath the seats in the circle and pit, and the vi iated forced to the roof, escaping through trunks fitted up there. The stalls will seat 110 persons, and the pit 500 ; while there is standing room in the latter for another bmulrel. The stage is 34ft. by 24ft. between the opening, on either side of which an extra 15ft is provided for working the “flats ’ ; thus making the stages 4 t. by 3 ft. in all Piovisinnisalsomadeforfuturelengthening by the insertion of a bricked arch in the back wall, of the same hei. ht as the proscenium. Level with the “Hies” on either side are five dressing-rooms, Bft. by 10ft. each, while beneath the stage is a deep c liar, admirably adapted for working any extensive machinery. The sittings in the circle much resemble those in the Princess’; those in the stalls will also be stuffed, and should be comfortable ; but little of the house can be seen from than. The drop scene will represent a view of the Grand Canal, Venice, and is the work of Mr R. Nicholson, to whom is also entrusted the decoration of the proscenium. Mr E. J. Sanders is architect of the building ; and the whole of the work has been carried out under the supervision of Mr Robert Forrest, clerk of works.