It’s good every now and then to be a stranger in a strange land. Especially if you find yourself in a strange land that you want to explore. This is how I find myself these days as I navigate my way through the archipelago of meetings and workshops as I represent The Court’s artistic interest in the building of the new Court Theatre on the corner of Gloucester and Colombo, in partnership with the Christchurch City Council.
We are halfway through the design process and what is becoming apparent is that the new Court will be the best theatre space in Aotearoa. Combining the lessons learnt from building The Shed in Addington and returning the company to its roots of playing in an intimate theatre space, the new Court will be a space that allows the company’s work to sing like never before. As a building it will be an open invitation to those that want to share the diverse programme of The Court’s work and who want to make The Court Theatre their theatre. For those who already call The Court their own, there will be a real sense of recognition as we return to you two dedicated theatre spaces purposely built to bring an audience closer to the work.
The building is being designed with maximum flexibility in mind. Spaces will adapt and delight and as a theatre space, it may never appear the same way to you twice. It is being built the with strictest ecological principles in mind. This is very much a 21st-century theatre, that responsibly addresses its energy consumption and carbon footprint.
One of the privileges of my life is that I’ve been blessed to work with many talented people. This journey to our amazing new theatre is no exception; our architects Athfields and the London architects Haworth Tompkins – who, I will quietly mention, are the leading specialist theatre architects in the world – may be the most creative people I have ever worked with. Overshadowing their talent is their lack of ego; there has been none of the ego that one sometimes associates with creative genius. There is a wonderful humility from those involved, which has put The Court, and her interests, at heart.
Okay, full disclosure; the land I find myself in is not that strange; after all I was strange, to begin with. After I left Boys’ High I trained, part-time, to be an architect for five years; I was a draftsman for the now-defunct Valuation Department. This was before I found my calling to work in theatre. To be able to combine these two pursuits is a rare gift and a gift I am very grateful to receive. I am fully committed to be bringing the skills I have acquired, in both my working lives, to the table to ensure a theatre that will spectacularly serve the people of Christchurch for many generations to come.
Bring it on!