Theatre memories

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 577, 14 March 1995, Page 4

Theatre memories

• The following letter, of memories of the Royal Theatre in Raetihi, is from ex-Raetihi residents M & W Ashwell, now of Gisborne. 'Tommy' Thompson, the theatre boss, collects your sixpence at the door and lets you through beyond the curtain to that wonderland — wooden seats downstairs and covered horse-hair ones, for the elite, upstairs, that extra wide seat especially for Mrs 'X', two axe-handles across the beam. Mrs Watson plays the piano, Rudolf ("Son") Ciocetto plays the projector light onto the screen. We grip our seats as our cowboy heroes gallop across the prairie, Tom Mix, Buck Jones, Tim McCoy. The piano music speeds-up, the baddies come on the scene and we hiss and boo! The caption reads "We'll cut the rustlers off at the Pass!" Out come the six-guns! Did I see them fire over 40 slugs from each six-shooter? Next week, Tommy tells us; we'll see the "Dead-end Kids" with Spanky McFarlane and 'talkie' films, a double feature, "Sonny Boy" and "Stark Mad" for 'cheer-up week' free! (You know this is 1933!) Times are really bad but an eight-year-old lad doesn't realize this. The magic of

'Tommy' Thompson' s Royal Theatre hides you from the reality of life of those days. Although Mr Thompson had little education he ran the theatres at Raetihi, Ohakune and the Junction with great efficiency for many decades. I believe he was Bob Kerridge's favourite! There were the occasional first New Zealand screening as the films could always reach the big centres on the Limited Express, without delay the same day. Memories, memories ...