NAPIER PICTURE THEATRES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 227, 7 September 1933, Page 5

NAPIER PICTURE THEATRES

ANOTHER TO BE BUILT. WORK TO BEGIN IMMEDIATELY. The announcement is made by those concerned in the enterprise that the immediate construction is to proceed oi a new theatre on the site in Thackeray street opposite Clive Square, Napier, on which, prior to the earthquake, wqs situated the Midland private hotel. The building, the cosf of which is to be in the vicinity of five figures, is being constructed for one of the largest theatre interests in Australia and New Zealand, and, according to information supplied to the “Tribune” last night, the necessary arrangements have been finalised and work is to be commenced at once. The new structure has been designed with full and careful consideration to stability and resistance to any future possible earthquake disturbances. The whole of the building will be of reinforced steel, calculated on the experience recently gained by investigation into earthquake stresses aud sufficient in itself to withstand shock without the assistance of the walls. The theatre is to be built on the stadium type of plan common now on the Continent and in America. The dress circle portion of the theatre rises direct from the stalls’ floor, thereby eliminating the necessity for stairs. There is, in fact, from the lootpath level to the first dress ciift'le rows of seats not a single step to mount, the

exits, too, being on footpath level to Station street and Thackeray street, ensuring rapid and easy egress. The theatre is airy and comfortably seated, having more than the usual space between the various rows of seats, while the scheme of decoration has been admirably conceived with a view to an extremely fine effect. The theatre of to-day, to be modern must be intimate, and with this idea in view, the seating accommodation has been restricted to 1000 scats all told. The highly important problems of vision and audition have been carefully studied and successfully solved, and will be incorporated to great advantage in the new De Luxe Theatre.