LONDON’S NEW THEATRE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 892, 8 February 1930, Page 26

LONDON’S NEW THEATRE

EMBODIES MOST MODERN IDEAS WONDERFUL DECORATION Embodying the most modern ideas in theatre construction and equipment, the Streatham Hill Theatre —which opened recently—is the latest addition to the steadily increasing group of new luxury houses of entertaiument for London theatregoers. The beautifully proportioned building stands on an ideal site with an imposing frontage to Streatham Hill of over 100 l’eet. The exterior is carried out in "carrara ware” of delicate shade with a fine bronze canopy extending well beyond either side of the main entrance. Within the entrance hall, which is 30 feet wide and 40 feet long, there is a grand staircase 12 feet wide running left and right to the dress circle, foyer and grand salon with direct access at either side to the parterre level. A most attractive foyer on the lower dress circle level includes a spacious lounge. An imposing auditorium of generous dimensions is divided into parterre, dress circle and second circle, with tip-up seating accommodation for nearly 3,000. In addition there is plenty of comfortable standing room. One striking feature of the auditorium is tbe easy gradient of the tiers which, coupled with the absence of columns, gives a perfect view from every part of the house. The whole scheme of decoration is of the Adam period, and the dignity and boldness of the treatment are enhanced by the golden shades of brown on an old ivory ground work forming tbe colour scheme. Among tbe many innovations introduced for the comfort and convenience of patrons is a special lifting orchestra pit, electrically operated, which can raise either the full oi-ches-tra or sections of it, as the occasion demands, into the full view of the audience. The proscenium is 40 feet wide and 30 feet high, and the stage itself is equipped with every modern device for the presentation of scenic and lighting effects and the rapid changing of sets. The artists will be accommodated in over 20 excellent dressing rooms forming a separate block at the rear of the stage. The theatre is fireproof throughout, has ample exits, and possesses acoustic properties of a most unusual character.

Everyone connected with the conception and construction of the Streatham Hill Theatre has reason to be proud of the - esult, and the main contractors, working under the direction of Messrs. W. G R Sprague and W. H. Barton, the architects, have been most ably assisted by the subcontractors.