ATMOSPHERE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 634, 10 April 1929, Page 11

ATMOSPHERE

1 heatre Design Enters New Era BEAUTY AND HARMONY X°-DAY a motion picture theatre more than any other building, requires sensational features— modern features never introduced before,” says Mr. Charles Bob ringer, of Messrs. Bohringer, Taylor and Johnson, Australian architects for the new Thomas O’Brien theatre in the Civic Square. In discussing the modern trend in theatre construction Mr. Bohringer, who is at present in Auckland, said that the average client's desire was to imitate and excel places of public amusement built along lines of pronounced similarity. This shackled independent thought, and made a virtue of what is really weak imitation. “It often drives us to despair,” he declared. ”\V© believe in ornament, and are prepared to be lavish with it. but we are diligently cautious not to infringe upon the cannons of good taste by over-design. ORNAMENT AND COLOUR ‘‘We must believe in colour. Nature rnent. It is deplorable that in the present, in renaissance, and in medieval times, alike, architects have been prompted to plaice upon their buildings as much ornament as their clients could afford.” Coloux- and the harmony of nature, he added, had furnished more inspiration and more successful thought. All

too often stock pattern lines groaned under the yoke in establishing individuality for a particular theatre through no other means than, the expenditure of money. Thus', yesterday’s theatre was oldfashioned to-day, and to-day’s average theatre was virtually a replica of yesterday’s, except that if was more elaborately dressed up with more marble, mo.re intricate enrichments, more draperies, and more cut-glass chandeliers. With new theatres being opened week-in and week-out, differing from their predecessors only in point of decorative splendour and rich garnishment, the public noticed and felt languidly the apparent similarity. With an appreciation of these facts in mind, the atmospheric type of theatre suggested itself. The punch of light and brilliant colour of exteriors and lobbies might charm and attract the amusement-loving public, but it was in the softly-lit foyers and the blue auditorium that mesmerism was performed, calming excited feelings and spluttering nerves. The aim was to frame the minds of patrons and prepare them to receive the entertainment without the influence of an over-elaborate interior design with repeated ornament always in view and persistently claiming attention. INTIMACY AND ILLUSION The atmospheric theatre seemed to create a very desirable feeling of intimacy and illusion, making an atmosphere which was always new, fresh, and alive. In an outdoor atmosphere, in addition to the warm picturesque ness of the conceptions, the spectator enjoyed the natural beauties of scenes and flowers. The atmospheric theatre offered the theatre proprietors additional facilities to produce their shows to the best advantage. Careful attention to detail and perfect consistency in style was absolutelv necessary to make an atmospheric theatre successful. The drastic deviation from what was common in the average theatre design, and the compulsory necessity of creating reproductions . and illusions, necessitated the creation of an architectural organisation which accepted responsibility lying somewhat on the outside of the strictly architectural sphere of activities. “In our case we have found it necessary to befriend sculptors, painters, colour artists, students of history, astronomers and foreign people,” he said. “My own early training m the art schools of Munich and Paris and Italy, and my travels in the old countries make this work enjoyable to me, REPLICAS OF NATURE Atmospheric buildings were circumposed by nature’s outdoor setting reproduced in nearly perfect illusion. This new form of theatre catered for all tastes, and capitalised the wellknown fact that buildings were living things, possessing individual character and expression. . The dissimilarity so often used in the design of a theatre auditorium, and the lack of symmetry between side walls, added to the intimacy of the engaging qualities in atmospheric theatre interiors. The many interesting details introduced to imitate in an artful way the flora and fauna of the tropical outdoor, used as a background for the ancient structures, added the elements of interest and life.