The grand old lady of Queen Street is set to make a comeback
Tuesday, 15 March 2016 by Mark Sandiford
The St James Theatre holds a special place in the hearts of
theatre goers and as one of Auckland's oldest buildings, the
theatre is a landmark and an icon.
A DEMANDING DIVA
But it's been hard to keep up with the high level of maintenance
that the 'old diva' has demanded over the years.
As the plaster chipped away
and cracks appeared, keeping the St James Theatre intact was
considerably difficult. It was no longer a very desirable venue and
finally, after a
fire in 2007, the theatre
closed its doors to the public.
Sadly, the theatre required
an overwhelming amount of work to bring it back to life, so it
remained closed until this year when a team of passionate theatre
lovers developed their plans to restore the St James Theatre into
action.
For the past eight years the
St James Charitable Trust have been pushing for a restoration of
the St James Theatre. However, with the level of damage and the
size of the building, attempting to 'Save the St
James' has been no easy
feat.
Fortunately, 2015 was a
lucky year for the St James Theatre.
With a new owner keen to see
it restored and with enough funding to initiate the process,
returning the building to its original state is becoming more of a
reality every day.
It's been a long road to get here and there is a long way to go,
but by 2018, the St James will raise the main curtain once
again.
An Auckland icon and a treasure among the performing arts
scene
Since 1928 thousands of people have been entertained inside the
St James Theatre. It was originally designed for vaudeville acts
but quickly adapted to the popular 'talking pictures' (movies) only
18 months after its opening. Since that time, the St James has
hosted many live performances and films.
It was once considered 'Auckland's greatest theatre' and the
striking tower-like entrance on Queen Street quickly made the St
James Theatre an iconic landmark.
With ornate decorative features such as the balcony viewing
boxes, ceiling, stained glass windows, velvet drapery and spiral
staircases, the theatre's interior was truly a work of art.
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust recognises the St James
Theatre as a Category 1
Historic Space, meaning it is "of special or outstanding
historical or cultural heritage significance or value". This
has protected the theatre from demolition throughout its years
of unuse.
When fully restored, the St James Theatre will offer a glimpse
into the architectural style of the 1920s era.
SAVING THE ST JAMES Piece by
piece
Before crunching the numbers to work out just how much it would
cost to restore the theatre, $2 million had already been poured
into a basic renovation just to prove that the theatre was worth
saving.
With a new owner who's keen to partially fund the restoration
and a healthy contribution from the Auckland Council, the work is
now well underway.
It's not a done deal yet
It is estimated that the building will need up to $60 million to
restore it to a state for public use and to bring it up-to-date for
earthquake standards.
Those involved in the 'Save the St James' project have become
passionate about returning the beloved building back to its
original state.
Tradesmen and craftsmen have spent hundreds of hours studying
chips of paint under a microscope to discover the very first
colour. Original photographs of the building are assiting them to
make sure they are getting as close as possible to the state of the
theatre when it opened in 1928.
The show will go on
There has been some controversy over the fate of the St James
Theatre since it was closed in 2007. Left to crumble in a state of
neglect, the building was on the verge of becoming the city's
biggest eye-sore. After the fire in 2007, the building that once
housed so much enjoyment was
abandoned virtually overnight.
Thanks to the 'never give up' attitude of the St James
Charitable Trust, it is now looking to be one of Auckland's biggest
success stories. From rags to riches the St James will be a
sought-after venue once again.
For everything that it's been famous for over the years, the St
James Theatre is well-known for its size and location. With a Queen
Street address, the theatre is in the heart of the city and only
minutes from the Kiwi
International Hotel.
As the theatre opens stage-by-stage, it is starting to attract
both overseas and local artists. From folk music to R&B, an
eclectic mix of musicians are already booked as upcoming
events.
With the city at your doorstep and the St James Theatre a mere
stroll away, staying at the Kiwi International Hotel will ensure
you get the most out of your stay in Auckland.
Book today and be among the city's vibrant nightlife, fantastic
shopping areas and the spectacular landmark that is the St James
Theatre.