THE PRINCESS’S THEATRE.

Evening Star, Issue 4118, 9 May 1876, Page 2

THE PRINCESS’S THEATRE.

The new theatre greeted by Mr Sibbald on the site of the building destroyed in 'Aughst last by fire was formally opened last evening. The proprietor issued a number of invitations, and those were the Superintendent, the members . of- the Executive, the Mayor and City ConucUiors, and a number of members of the Press Amateur Dramatic Club. .

His Honor the! superintendent said: Gentlemen, I need scarcely say that we are now assembled- to usher in the secondjUHh of the Princess’s Theatife, which was tfuhled down some time ago, and which we now see rising like the Phoenix from its ashesi' I believe that no other part of the Colony-can boast of an edifice such as this. lam sore that it-is one of. which Dunedin may . well-he proud; and we owe it to the enterprise, perse* verance, taste, andp uck of one of the oldest of the old identities. 1 We all wish that Mr sibbald may reap a rich reward.—(Applause.) It is now 23 or 24 yearsagosince Mr Sibbald and I stood upon this very, spot, ’ which at that time was a kind of swamp, covered with flax bushes. I was despan ting with Mr Sibbald about the future value' of thin particular property, and it wasotdy byjhsat persuasion on my part that he was induced to purchase'the freehold of it at a price which was considered high “in those times. Though we both believed at that time tlhat Dunedin was destined to become the modem Athens of the.Southern Hemisphere, neither of us, I think, dreamed that witiiin a quarter of a century we should both 1% found on the same spot, and I hands with him under the circumstances I now do. Gentlemen, did I know as touch about the theatrical drama as I am supposed to know about the political one, this would be a very good opportunity to utter a few of one’s sentiments. As it is, this privilege must fall to someone more adapted to &at sort of thing than 1 am. However, I may say that in my opinion a well-regulated theatre is essentially necessary, and in facta necessary adjunct of civilisation. I call upon you to drink—'“ Long life to Mr Sibbald, and Success to the Princes* Theatre.”

The toast was received with great applause and musical honors. .

Mr Sibbaxd replied as follows ;—No one can be more sensible than I am of the strangeness of the fact that I should have taken part in the building of a theatre. Nothing would have vexed me more twentyfour years ago than to be told that I should do so. Twelve years ago, when I let the m ' u P on w hi c h the theatre now stood to Mr Bhadrach Jones I had a clause inserted in the lease that no theatre should be erected upon the ground, and when Mr Jones broke the agreement in this respefet I resolved to take the lease from him. Mr Jones then, in order to secure himself, pur chased the property, which ultimately again fell into my hands. Since I took possession of the property for the second time I have almost rebuilt the theatre three times. The new building is twenty feet deeper, and a great deal wider than the old one. Messrs Mason and Wales were the archi* tccts, and I think that there are but few buildings which can he compared with the

new Princess’s Theatre. 1 The old theatrl was burned down because it was too well ventilated, but this provided with S3O or 600 ventilators, and with fifteen or sixteen ventilated chimneys running from the top'to the bottom of the'theatre, including the dress circle, pit, and stalls. After the old theatre was burned down, Mr G. Bell, -of the Evening Star, was the first gentleman I consulted in reference to the erection of its- successor. ’ Mr Sibbald concluded by speaking in complimentary terms of the assistance afforded by bis old and esteemed friend Mr G-. Bell; by Mr Walter Bell, contractor; and by Messrs Mason and Wales’s assistant. Me then proposed “ *he Mayor and the members of the City Council/’

* His Worship said the Mayor and City Councildf Dunedin would be a most contemptible body if they did not appreciate the efforts of Mr Sibbald in erecting the building in which they were then met. He would propose the health of the architects— Messrs Mason and Wales. . Mr Wales, in responding, said the acoustic properties of the building and the system of ventilation would be thoroughly tested on the following night, when Malle, de Murska would appear, as it was sure to be crowded from floor to ceiling. The ventilation had been carried out under the supervision of Mr Bell. The ventilating flues were as close together in the walls as was consistent with stability. Mr G. Bell, in response to a call, made-a brief speech, in the course of which he said that though he expected that the system of ventilation would prove a success, yet if he ■were to say much he might get laughed at the more if it did not. The proceedings concluded with the due honoring of the toast of “His Honor the Superintendent.” As will be seen by our advertising columns, an excellent programme has been drawn up for this evening, when the opening performance of the new theatre will be given. MdT.e. de Murska will sing some of her best selections.