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The new His Majesty’s was a
substantial theatre which seated 2,355
on three levels; Wellington’s largest and
the first steel-framed theatre in the
southern hemisphere.
The frame allowed for an
unsupported 80 foot (24 m.) roof span,
with resistance to earthquakes.
White’s solution to poor sightlines
was to use cantilevered steel beams to
support the balconies, thereby reducing
to three the number of posts in the stalls.
The style he chose for the exterior
has been described as ‘restrained
Edwardian Freestyle’. Freestyle was a
mixing and matching of classical
elements, the intention being to achieve
coherence of form. His design did so The film which brought sound to the screen at His Majesty’s - now the St James -
admirably. was Warner Bros.’ On With The Show, the first all-talking, all-singing, all-colour musical.
Because he chose a variety of
The opening movie was Sweet Nell
materials for the interior, all of first class
of Old Drury, plus a range of short
quality, reporters at the opening described
subjects.
the theatre as having ‘a cheerful
appearance’. Today we call it ‘theatrical Fullers ran films for nine months,
rococo derived from Louis XV’. but on 15 September 1913 His
Majesty’s reverted to live shows and
I can personally vouch for White’s
vaudeville, due to very strong
skill with the acoustics of His
competition from other cinemas. It
Majesty’s. We hired the theatre once
remained a live theatre until wired for
for a promotion, and standing on the
sound in 1930. Its first sound movie
stage I was able to carry on a
was On With the Show, one of those
conversation with someone in the upper
early musicals concentrating on revue
circle without raising my voice.
sets. To mark the switch back to films As the world remembers them: Vivien
White didn’t challenge the Leigh and Lawrence Olivier.
the name was changed to the St James.
convention of separating the social
In March 1945 Fullers effectively
classes. To our eyes, one deficiency of The fight to save the building was
bowed out of theatre management. Sir
the design was the small street-level long and drawn out. In the end a trust
Robert Kerridge purchased 61 Fuller
foyer, dominated by the centre staircase was set up with funding from the
theatres, including the St James,
to the circle. The era of large foyers in Lotteries Commission, various
bringing his chain to 131. From the
New Zealand was a decade away. sponsors, Trust Bank, Wellington City
date of the purchase live shows were
The frontage did however follow Council, and the public.
interspersed with films.
White’s maxims about ventilation and In an enlightened move, a local
For many the unforgettable theatre
safe egress, by offering five entrances: government building adjoining the
moment was when Lawrence Olivier
the two outermost doors gave access to theatre was acquired. This became a
and Vivien Leigh trod the boards for
the stalls, the central door was to the large entry foyer, space for a
the Old Vic Theatre Company in 1948 -
circle, and the other two were to the café/restaurant, rest rooms, plus a
the first couple of English theatre
grand circle. substantial upstairs lounge, all the things
performing in the perfect theatre.
His Majesty’s nearly didn’t open as lacking in the earlier design. Backstage
Olivier said at the time, “Don’t let
planned on Boxing Day 1912. One was entirely rebuilt and the auditorium
any theatres be pulled down. The
crucial detail went awry when more was restored to its former glory.
building of theatres seems to be an art
than sixty percent of the seats were The final cost was $NZ 21.4
we have lost.”
shipped to the wrong island, and million, but the end result is a
finished up in Dunedin. A frantic The final regular film screening was magnificent theatre, the live show and
management was forced to borrow seats in January 1986. The last movie of all festival centre for the city. The
from all over the region, many no doubt was Wanted Dead or Alive, shown 7 adjoining Local Government building
substandard compared to the ones the May 1987. in Art deco style now houses the
Fullers and their architect had in mind. The theatre had changed hands in booking office and a busy café. It
The theatre was packed for the 1985 for $NZ 3.5 m. The new owner, blends in well with the theatre, and is
opening, at which the Mayor of Chase Corporation intended to pull it often used for art displays.
Wellington City, David McLaren down and build a high-rise office block. When the extensions were
officiated. The beauty of twin boxes at However, a public outcry about a completed the old front entrance was
each of three levels and the ceiling theatre held in high regard, in a city closed, but White’s original doors have
decoration was much praised. that had already lost a number of been retained. ★
theatres, stalled the plan.
CINEMARECORD 2006 7