Page 12 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41

In Pursuit Of Perfection:

Part 2 John Sumner Theatre

Too often the design of
contemporary theatres has been politely
functional, sensibly pragmatic but
ultimately dull, ignoring the traditions
of energy, passion and humanity that is
the very core of theatre.
Strong words, and when uttered by
architect Ian McDougall, a principal of
the firm Ashton Raggatt and
McDougall, as work commenced to
create a new home for the Melbourne
Theatre Company, it was a certainty
that the result would not be polite,
pragmatic or dull.
Set alongside the Elisabeth
Murdoch Hall, at the southern-most
corner of the Southbank arts precinct,
the theatre, which opened early this
year met all expectations. Just as the
EMH perfectly merges form and
function as a recital venue, so the John
Sumner Theatre is its live theatre Main auditorium July 2008. Wall lighting is a feature of the finished work.
equivalent.
Eight dressing rooms accommodate up landmark additions to the tapestry of
Ian McDougall has described the
to 22 performers. Six of these rooms the south bank arts precinct.
500-seat theatre as ‘the finest and most
will serve the main theatre, and two the Let architect Ian McDougall have
flexible proscenium arch theatre in
adjoining studio theatre. the last word. “The building is
Australia.’ The maximum stage opening
possible is 27metres. To understand the The main auditorium is named in stridently Melburnian, continuing the
opportunities this offers a director, the honour of John Sumner, who founded city's tradition for outstanding buildings
proscenium width at the Regent Collins the Union Theatre Repertory Company - striking yet subtle, magical and
Street is 14metres (although the actual at the University of Melbourne in 1953. sensual, intelligent, a place of sound
stage width is 31metres.) Fifteen years later it became the and action.” ★
Melbourne Theatre Company,
The building includes the Lawler
Australia’s first professional company. Opposite: Boldness be my friend. An
Studio, a rehearsal room/studio and
John Sumner was MTC director until access stairway (turn page sideways) to
performance space for experimental
his retirement in 1987. the auditorium.
works, which can seat 160.
In the case of the Elisabeth The Lawler Studio is named after Turn to the back cover for more pictures
Murdoch Hall, much was made of the playwright Ray Lawler, whose Summer of this exciting building.
fact that the inspiration for the design was of the Seventh Doll, and other works,
an actual European concert hall, but gave voice to the rich possibilities
interestingly, there was no inherent in home-grown drama.
acknowledgment from the architects of Well, how does the reality of the
any antecedent for the new theatre. new theatre measure up to the promise?
Perhaps this meant that Australia's history It is a fine tribute to the input of the
of theatre architecture has produced a current MTC Director Simon Phillips
sufficient number of fine examples (even and the architects.
if many of them were now just the Both the Elisabeth Murdoch Hall
original plans) that the principles needed and the MTC Project took out the top
to ‘get it right’ were well known. awards at the Australian Institute of
As might be expected, all aspects of Architects, Victorian Architecture
the stage fit-out are state of the art. The awards on July 10.
mechanics include a 60-line powered The two buildings won the Victorian
flying system, each line capable of Architecture Medal, the William
carrying a load of up to half a tonne. Wardell Award for Public Architecture
Within the stage lighting system there and the Joseph Reed Award for Urban
is a choice of 750 dimmer outlets. Design. The judges said that both were The EMH and MTC building cover the area
between Sturt and Dodds Streets.

12 2009 CINEMARECORD