Theatre proposal rocky
Rocky Horror creator Richard O’Brien says Hamilton City Council is pushing a flawed theatre project.
A statue of O’Brien’s famous time warping work is a prominent feature of Victoria St, but the Hamilton icon is warning that building a theatre nearby would be a mistake.
‘‘They keep banging on about the CBD as if that adds muscularity to the argument … it’s not Wall St or Canary Wharf.’’
Hamilton City Council has proposed contributing $30 million to build a 1100 seat theatre at the site of the old Hamilton Hotel on Victoria St.
The theatre proposal was brought to council by philanthropic group Momentum Waikato in July 2016, after Founders Theatre was closed due to earthquake risk. The city council has purposely distanced itself from the project, and Momentum will lead the project and fund raise to meet the total estimated cost of $75m.
Councillors in December voted nine to three to include the theatre in the city’s draft long-term plan, open to public submission from Thursday, March 29 to April 30.
O’Brien said a new theatre was an opportunity to inspire Waikato’s young people interested in theatre, but the current proposal appeared inaccessible when compared to the old Founder’s site.
‘‘It makes no sense to me, and I think we’re being sold something – maybe apathy.’’
The Victoria St proposal includes a river-facing open lobby for informal performances, with a potential art gallery and boutique hotel also contained in the 6432sqm build.
The design, drawn up by international theatre design specialist Charcoalblue, includes no designated parking.
O’Brien said it was entirely impractical to have a theatre on a high street, when 500 cars would need to deliver young and old from around the region to shows.
‘‘Common sense and pragmatism should drive this, rather than grand ideas about putting in apartments and not having a big enough auditorium.’’
A flexible 1500 seat theatre with rehearsal space and adequate parking was required to attract first-class shows, he said.
‘‘[Production companies] have to get out of Dodge ahead of the posse, don’t they? They have to get out of town at least breaking even, but hopefully making a couple of dollars so it was worth the effort.’’
A building on the old Founders’ site could not only achieve this, but a carpark could be used for sports fans when the theatre wasn’t being used.
‘‘I have grave doubts whether a theatre can stay alive on a weekly basis because of the low population numbers.’’
O’Brien said the design process so far was a ‘‘fait accompli’’ – decided upon before those affected had a chance to be heard.
Where O’Brien expresses his concern through idiom, Mayor Andrew King uses a metaphorical
1960’s Chevy to express support for the proposed theatre.
‘‘You either modify it, chop the roof down, put in mag wheels and a
350-Chev [engine] – making it into a hot-rod – but you’ve still got a 1960’s Chevy.
‘‘Or, for the same money, you could go down to Ebbett’s and buy a brand new HSV Holden Commodore, and have something fit for purpose and the modern-world we live in,’’ King said.
The point being: the new theatre, at a new site, provides more bang-for-your-buck than refurbishing Founders.
As for carparking, King said theatre-goers would use the existing city carparks and disabled parking would be designated on show nights.
‘‘Make them walk through Kirikiriroa, for 250 steps past our bars, restaurants and cafes and add to the atmosphere of what’s happening in our city – and maybe even join in.’’
King acknowledged the value of O’Brien’s opinion and hoped his views would be provided in written form for both himself and Momentum Waikato to consider.
‘‘This guy knows what he is doing, he has a background in theatre and he’s part of the history of the city. We need to listen to what he’s saying and take his comments on board seriously.’’