WONDER THEATRE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 852, 21 December 1929, Page 1

WONDER THEATRE

Civic Opened Before Immense Throng

COLOUR, BRILLIANCE, MELODY

Lights . . . colour . . . brilliance . . melody.

Thousands of feet silently sinking into the deep pile of Oriental carpets.

Dusky little Arabs, clad in crimson and gold, bo-wing a welcome at the head of the stairs. . . . “This is the most wonderful theatre in the Southern Hemisphere,” the Mayor, Mr. George Baildon, told the Luge audience as he ofiicially opened the Civic Theatre last evening, and the applause of the obviously thrilled first-nighters seemed to give the stars high overhead an added twinkle. But for the fact that the Southern Cross could be seen in the deep blue vault overhead 4ne might have been sitting under an Egyptian sky at night. That sky, immeasurably distant, is a lovely thing. Clouds which vie with nature drift across it and fade away behind the turrets of slender towers of Eastern palaces. Beams of light move slowly above, the arch of the proscenium. The illusion caused by the interior decoration and architecture has the amazing effect of reality. There was no deception about the palms and floral decorations; they were supplied by Messrs. J. N. Anderson and Son, Ltd., Napier. Long before the Civic Theatre opened its doors crowds flocked in Queen and Wellesley Streets, watching the excitement of Mr. Thomas O’Brien’s venture, described by the Mayor and others as a venture of courage and initiative. Long after the theatre had been filled and the entertainment started those crowds still thronged round the doors and along the street. Loud speakers kept them acquainted with the proceedings within.

Against the deep dusk of night the Civic Theatre stands out impressively. Its outlines of brilliant light, in various colours, add to its impressive vastness. Inside the building that brilliance is multiplied tenfold, and the thousands who attended last evening were lured into the foyer and corridors to view the unique decoration before seeking their soft comfortable seats under the stars.

But there was no crowding and no crushing. The dusky attendants saw to that. They marshalled the thousands to their seats, despite the desire to stand about and look into the soft colour of the impressive interior. Far, far below, the golden barge in which the orchestra sat sailed up and down, then disappeare from sight. Mr. ■O’Brien appeared and welcomed the audience to the Civic Theatre and told the story of his venture. He introduced Mr. Charles Bohringer, the Civic’s architect, Mr. Stirling Rogers, the supervising builder, and regretted the absence of Mr. James Fletcher, of the Fletcher Construction Company. Then Mr. Baildon officially declared the theatre open and showered congratulations on Mr. O’Brien for his courage - - d enterprise. More music, dancing girls, talkies, and then out into the night, down the carpeted stairs and their Eastern decoration. The Civic Theatre is open at last and Auckland is more than satisfied. The programme is reviewed on page 20.