Specialist theatre consultants brought in to keep Royal Whanganui Opera House alive

Shand Shelton theatre consultant Phil Conroy inside the Royal Whanganui Opera House.

Specialist theatre consultants are working on the future of the Royal Whanganui Opera House.

It follows the discovery of structural issues identified in a health safety report commissioned by Whanganui District Council.

The council’s general manager of community and customer experience Marianne Cavanagh said the report identified structural issues with the building, especially for the upper floor of the opera house, fire risks and issues with electrical systems and equipment maintenance.

“We were aware the theatre’s rigging system needed to be replaced and had budgeted for that, but when we received the review in January, we knew we had to act immediately to address safety concerns,” she said.

“Fortunately, we were able to do this in a way that allowed the show to go on.”

Since January, the council has carried out work to reduce risk, closing the upper level to the public and installing scaffolding around the perimeter of the stage to support the upper level.

Electricians have also been engaged to test and tag equipment and remove anything dangerous, clear out stored items to reduce the fire risk and install LED theatrical lighting.

Cavanagh said the team documented and photographed all equipment and spaces during the work, including the fly floor and hemp rope systems.

“How these items will be showcased is still to be determined, but it was important to the council to retain these as they tell the story of the journey of the Royal Whanganui Opera House over time.”

Registered architectural practice Shand Shelton has been brought in to help with the work on the building.

The company has delivered more than 20 theatres and performing arts venues throughout New Zealand and Australia over 27 years, with many being heritage theatres similar to the opera house.

Shand Shelton theatre specialist Phil Conroy has been on-site and said it was a privilege to work on the building because of its significant historical standing in New Zealand theatre.

He recognised some of the vintage gear stored backstage at the opera house from when he was a child, having grown up around theatre.

Theatres have had to move away from the ‘sailing ship’ rigging with ropes and pulleys used in the opera house to modern counterweight flying systems, as well as modern support systems for lighting, drapes, scenery, video walls and audio.

“In the past, it was all about finding workarounds for issues, but as an industry, we have grown up and want our theatres working for us, instead of us working for them,” he said.

He said touring theatre technicians needed a level of amenity to make it safe and easy for them to set up and present their shows.

“It’s also got to turn a dollar – hirers want a facility that enables them to put on a show that creates a fantastic experience and attracts good numbers, [with people] bringing the kids along to partake because they’re tomorrow’s audiences.”

Shand Shelton will present a report with a range of options at the end of September which will help inform the council’s long-term plan.

Conroy said he enjoyed meeting the passionate and dedicated bunch of volunteers at the opera house and would look at how they could keep the magic of the building going for the next 122 years.