Mercury Theatre, Auckland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mercury Theatre |
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The Mercury Theatre.
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| General information | |
| Type | Theatre, formerly a movie theatre. |
| Architectural style | Edwardian Baroque architecture |
| Location | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Address | 9 Mercury Lane, Auckland |
| Coordinates | 36°51′30″S 174°45′32″E / 36.85821°S 174.75875°E |
| Completed | 28 November 1910 |
| Renovated | 1926, 1956, and 1968 |
| Cost | £7,777 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Edward Bartley |
| Designated: | 13-Dec-1990 |
| Reference #: | 5296 |
The Mercury Theatre is a famous old theatre in Auckland, New Zealand. You can find it on Mercury Lane, just off Karangahape Road. For about twenty years, it was home to a theatre company with the same name.
This theatre was built in 1910 by an architect named Edward Bartley. It is the oldest theatre still standing in Auckland today. It was built in a fancy style called Edwardian Baroque. When it first opened, it was known as the Kings Theatre. In 1926, it was changed into a cinema. At that time, a new entrance was added on Karangahape Road. This part is now called the Norman Ng Building. In 1990, the building was recognized as a special historic place by Heritage New Zealand.
Contents
History of the Mercury Theatre
Early Years and Theatre Company
From 1968 to 1991, the Mercury Theatre building was used by the Mercury Theatre Company. This company was started in 1966 by Professor John C Reid. He helped raise money to open the building as a professional theatre in 1968.
The very first play performed by the theatre company was The Admirable Crichton by J.M. Barrie. After that, they put on at least 12 plays every year. These shows included everything from fun plays for children, like pantomimes, to serious dramas. They even performed plays by famous writers like Shakespeare and Chekhov.
Many well-known actors performed at the Mercury Theatre. Some of them include Pam Ferris, Lee Grant, Roy Billing, George Henare, Michael Hurst, and Ian Mune. Raymond Hawthorne joined the theatre in 1971. He worked as an actor, director, and teacher. In 1985, he became the artistic director and stayed until the theatre closed in 1992.
Challenges and Closure
Even though many people came to see the shows, the theatre company spent a lot of money on its grand productions and daily running costs. Because of these high expenses, the Mercury Theatre Company had to close in 1992.
After the theatre closed, two people named Symon Peters and David John Zam started a company called Mercury Playhouse Ltd. They wanted to buy the theatre. In 1994, they shared their plans for the building in a newspaper article. The official records of the Mercury Theatre are now kept at Auckland Libraries.
Recent Changes and Future Plans
In the early 2000s, the Equippers Church bought the building. In November 2009, they tried to sell the theatre for more than two million dollars. However, they decided not to sell it in 2012.
The church closed the theatre in April 2022 for major renovations. These renovations will make the building stronger and more modern. They also plan to create new spaces inside. The goal is to bring the theatre back to its original capacity while keeping its beautiful Edwardian style. The renovations are expected to be finished in 2024.
Notable Productions
The Mercury Theatre was known for putting on a wide variety of plays and musicals during its active years. These included classic dramas, comedies, children's shows, and new works. Some of the many productions staged there included:
- The Admirable Crichton (1968)
- Hamlet (1969)
- Alice in Wonderland (1970)
- Oh What a Lovely War (1971)
- Guys and Dolls (1972)
- Annie Get Your Gun (1973)
- The Wizard of Oz (1974)
- Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1975)
- A Little Night Music (1976)
- Man of La Mancha (1977)
- Royal Hunt of the Sun (1978)
- Cinderella (1979)
- Godspell (1980)
- Oliver (1981)
- Jesus Christ Superstar (1982)
- The King and I (1983)
- Footrot Flats (1984)
- West Side Story (1986)
- The Sound of Music (1987)
- South Pacific (1988)
- Fiddler on the Roof (1989)
- Carousel (1990)
- Jekyll and Hyde (1991)
- The Rose Tattoo (1992)
Images for kids
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The Norman Ng Building, a former entrance to the Mercury Theatre, was retroactively added when it became clear that having an entrance to the nearby main street would be useful
