CHRISTCHURCH CITY PLAN – LISTED HERITAGE PLACE HERITAGE ASSESSMENT – STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE HERITAGE ITEM NUMBER 222 THEATRE ROYAL INCLUDING ALL OF THAT PART OF THE BUILDING SOUTH OF THE PROSCENIUM ARCH BUT EXCLUDING THE NEW PART OF THE BUILDING ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE SEISMIC WALL AND SETTING - 145 GLOUCESTER STREET, CHRISTCHURCH PHOTOGRAPH: M.VAIR-PIOVA, 5/12/2014 HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE Historical and social values that demonstrate or are associated with: a particular person, group, organisation, institution, event, phase or activity; the continuity and/or change of a phase or activity; social, historical, traditional, economic, political or other patterns. The Theatre Royal, including all of that part of the building south of the proscenium arch but excluding the new part of the building on the eastern side of the seismic wall, has high historical and social significance as an important performance venue in Christchurch for more than a century. The alterations to the building and its changes of use reflect the changing nature and fortunes of entertainment in the city over the last hundred years. The theatre was built for a syndicate headed by theatre impresario J. C. Williamson, and opened on 25 February 1908. The size of the building, originally seating 1,240, suggests the popularity of theatre at the time. The building is the third in Gloucester Street to carry the name. Williamson was an American who settled in Australia, founding his company in 1879; many of the better productions which toured Australasia from the late nineteenth until the mid-twentieth centuries travelled were through Williamson. The theatre was substantially rebuilt in 1928, when its seating was increased to 1,435 and it was fitted for use as a cinema. During the 1940s and 1950s, the theatre was used primarily as a cinema. After a brief renaissance from the mid 1950s as a live venue, the theatre suffered competition from television, and was only saved from demolition by a charitable trust, who bought it in 1980. The building was renovated substantially in 2005 and renamed the Isaac Theatre Royal to honour the generous sponsorship of the late Diana, Lady Isaac. During this time the building and its fortunes have charted the development of popular culture, hosting both high and low forms of the performing arts, from wrestling matches, cinema and vaudeville to Shakespeare and grand opera. Many well-known artists have performed in the theatre including Sir John Gielgud, Louis Armstrong and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Dame Malvina Major. The theatre sustained substantial damage in the Canterbury Earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. The decision was made to prop the façade and fully demolish and replicate the foyer and auditorium. Some original elements were saved and restored including the central internal painted dome and the busts of Shakespeare and Wagner, reinstated over the stage boxes. The rebuilt theatre opened on 17 November 2014, and has resumed its role as one of the principal performance venues in the city. CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE Cultural and spiritual values that demonstrate or are associated with the distinctive characteristics of a way of life, philosophy, tradition, religion, or other belief, including: the symbolic or commemorative value of the place; significance to Tangata Whenua; and/or associations with an identifiable group and esteemed by this group for its cultural values. The Theatre Royal, as scheduled, has high cultural and spiritual significance as a centre of the city's cultural life for more than a century. As a focal point for the performance community and a leading entertainment venue, the building holds a special place in the cultural heart of Christchurch. That the building is seen as an integral part of the community’s artistic and heritage culture has been highlighted by major fundraising campaigns which have saved the building from demolition in the 1970s, renovated it in the 2000s and rebuilt it after the Canterbury Earthquakes in the 2010s. ARCHITECTURAL AND AESTHETIC SIGNIFICANCE Architectural and aesthetic values that demonstrate or are associated with design values, form, scale, colour, texture and material of the place. As a result of the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes the Isaac Theatre Royal, as scheduled, has architectural and aesthetic significance with relation to the original fabric remaining. The original design was executed by Sydney and Alfred Luttrell who were leading Canterbury architects during the first three decades of the twentieth century and built by W. H. Bowen. They only executed two theatre commissions however: the Theatre Royal and the Liberty (Savoy) Cinema in Cathedral Square (since demolished) and were more well-known for their commercial and racecourse buildings. They designed a number of churches and were the unofficial architects to the Roman Catholic diocese. The principal façade has heavily modelled facade features in the form of Corinthian columns, and a tall attic storey and cornice. This facade originally featured an ornate cast iron verandah/promenade balcony – this and the much of the ground floor were removed as part of the 1928 remodelling which also substantially remodelled the original 1908 interior. This work was undertaken by architect C. H. Ballantyne. In 2005 a substantial refit was again undertaken and the stage was enlarged and the fly-tower and backstage area were rebuilt to designs by noted architect Sir Miles Warren. This backstage area survived and has been integrated in to the rebuild. The Theatre Royal sustained substantial damage in the Canterbury Earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. The façade was subsequently propped, and the foyer and auditorium fully demolished before being replicated. The marble staircase, part of the 1928 refit, was saved and reinstated as were the original oeil-du-bouef windows on either side of the Grand Circle. Particularly noteworthy is the dome which remained untouched in the 1928 refit. It features scenes from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, and was painted by G C Post of the Carrara Ceiling Company of Wellington. This was removed as part of the post-quake work and has been substantially restored and conserved by Italian trained conservator Carolina Izzo and her team and reinstated. The heavily decorated plaster interior was damaged in the 2010- 2011 earthquakes and was lost during the demolition phase. However casts were taken and this enabled full reproduction of all features. TECHNOLOGICAL AND CRAFTSMANSHIP SIGNIFICANCE Technological and craftsmanship values that demonstrate or are associated with: the nature and use of materials, finishes and/or technological or constructional methods which were innovative, or of notable quality for the period. The Theatre Royal, as scheduled, has technological and craftsmanship significance for the evidence it holds of past methodologies, materials, fixtures and fittings as well as technological and craftsmanship involved in the post-quake restoration work of original features as well as the replication of the decorative plaster elements and 21st century architectural and seismic design work that forms part of the post-quake rebuild. Of particular craftsmanship significance is the central dome painted by G C Post of the Carrara Ceiling Company of Wellington and the principal marble staircase. CONTEXTUAL SIGNIFICANCE Contextual values that demonstrate or are associated with: a relationship to the environment (constructed and natural) setting, a group, precinct or streetscape; a degree of consistency in terms of scale, form, materials, texture, colour, style and/or detailing in relationship to the environment (constructed and natural), setting, a group, precinct or streetscape; a physical or visible landmark; a contribution to the character of the environment (constructed and natural) setting, a group, precinct or streetscape. The Theatre Royal, as scheduled, has contextual significance on its site, in its setting and within its wider context. The Theatre’s site and setting are a large rectangular land parcel on the north side of Gloucester Street. The theatre’s façade is on the street frontage and the theatre occupies the greater part of the site. The theatre was previously surrounded by similarly large scaled buildings from a variety of eras many of these have been demolished post-quake. The building and its ornate façade are now highly visible landmarks in the central city. The most prominent elements of the theatre’s remaining context are the 1930s Spanish Mission-style shops of neighbouring New Regent Street. The Edwardian building that linked the theatre and New Regent Street was demolished post-earthquakes, but is being replicated to restore the integrity of this small section of heritage streetscape. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE Archaeological or scientific values that demonstrate or are associated with: the potential to provide information through physical or scientific evidence an understanding about social historical, cultural, spiritual, technological or other values of past events, activities, structures or people. The Theatre Royal, as scheduled, and its setting are of archaeological significance because they have the potential to provide archaeological evidence relating to past building construction methods and materials and human activity on the site prior to 1900, including that relating to the nineteenth century. ASSESSMENT STATEMENT The Theatre Royal, including all of that part of the building south of the proscenium arch but excluding the new part of the building