PRINCESS THEATRE, TE ARO.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4926, 6 January 1877, Page 3

PRINCESS THEATRE, TE ARO.

It is intended to erect a theatre on a section of ground facing Tory-street in Te Aro; and to judge from the plans of the building prepared by Mr, Chatfield, it will be a credit to the enterprising gentlemen to whose order the plans were drawn, and an ornament to the locality in which it will be situated'; not to mention the acknowledged want that it will supply. It must be understood that the building is not intended to be used solely for theatrical performances or for the exhibition of itinerant shows generally, but may be utilised for various other purposes, such as balls, flower shows, and other exhibitions. For the sake of convenience in the description of the plans we may speak of the building as already erected. The dimensions of the body of the hall are 60ft. x 34ft, the pit entrance in the front being 7ft. wide, and on the right hand is a lobby, whilst on the left is a ticket office. On either'Side of the building there is an anteroom, which may be used for com-, mitee meetings when required. They communicate with passages which lead into the stalls; those who have to purchase tickets for admission to the theatre entering the left room, which communicates with the other side of the ticket office already referred to; whilst those who are possessed of season tickets, or have seats reserved,. may, to avoid the unpleasantness of crowding, enter the right room, proceeding along a corridorwhich communicates with’ the ‘front' seats. The stage is a large one, being 24ft. clear in the opening, 17ft. high, and 30ft. deep.' The hall, or theatre, whichever it may be called, is capable of holding 700 people comfortably. Thus it will be seen that it is admirably suited for theatrical exhibitions, and stands in the centre of a thickly populated district. The dressing-rooms are on either side of the stalls, which arrangement permits of the entire width of the building being taken up by the stage. There is one feature in the construction of the hall as a place of amusement which will commend itself to everyone. We refer to the admirable arrangements made for exit and means of escape in case of fire. There are no less than six ways of exit. Then particular care has been taken to provide efficient ventilation. The interior of the building is well got up, whilst the exterior, though not very ornamental, is substantial looking and imposing. It has been borne in mind that a necessity to extend the accommodation may arise, and with this view the hall has been so constructed as to admit of a gallery being erected over the pit, whilst the walls on either side of the stalls can be thrown out, and the boxes constructed at comparatively trifling cost.