Civic Theatre shares its secrets for Heritage Month
Since the turn of the twentieth century, Invercargill’s Civic Theatre has welcomed audiences through its grand façade to be entertained by drama, music and artistry on stage.
Now, the community is being invited to step behind the curtains and see the historic venue from a different perspective in a series of guided tours for Heritage Month.
Invercargill City Council Venues and Events Operations Manager Ryan Sycamore said the guided tours were an opportunity to explore the Category 1 listed heritage building and enter areas rarely seen by the public.
“The Civic Theatre’s Edwardian frontage is immediately recognisable to everyone in Invercargill. Our guided tours will be a chance to go beyond the public face and explore some of the history hidden in the walls of this beautiful building,” he said.
Three guided tours would be available on Saturday 14 March at 10am, 11.30am and 1pm, and would visit areas including the front of house, backstage, dressing rooms and basement.
Sycamore said the tour would delve into stories from the theatre’s colourful history, from elegant ballet productions and silver screen films, to rock concerts with riotous crowds, pantomimes and supposed ghostly encounters.
“The theatre has had its ups and downs over the decades, from the grand opening in 1906 to a general state of disrepair by the 1970s. An earthquake around that time saw different parts of the building literally moving in opposite directions during a performance,” he said.
Partial renovations in 1984 and a full refurbishment in 2005 saw the building earthquake strengthened, putting an end to fears of a sudden collapse, he said.
“While the theatre has been modernised, there is still a wealth of secrets to uncover.”
As part of the tours, historical artefacts, equipment and archival materials would be on display, highlighting the varied line-up of performers who had taken the stage over the years.
Notable acts included The Rolling Stones, the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Billy Connolly and Split Enz.
The theatre was also the site of the global premiere of The World’s Fastest Indian film in 2005, and recently hosted the funeral of Invercargill’s longest-serving mayor, Sir Tim Shadbolt.
Sycamore said the tours would include about 15 people and take around an hour.
“I would encourage anyone with an interest in Invercargill’s history to come along and take the chance to learn more about this important piece of our city’s cultural history,” he said.
Civic Theatre Guided Heritage Tour tickets are available online at ticketek.co.nz.
As a heritage building, the Civic Theatre includes stairs and areas with limited accessibility which may not be suitable for all visitors.
