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St.James Theatre 312 Queen Street, Auckland - 1928 opening brochure.

Photo of 1928 opening brochure - Auckland Library

The St James Theatre was commissioned by John Fuller and Sons Limited to replace Fuller’s Opera House which burned down in 1926. The site on Queen Street opposite Civic Square was acquired for around £100,000; construction of the theatre was estimated to cost around £80,000 and was completed in 1928. The theatre was originally targeted for the performance of vaudeville acts.

Upon its completion, the eldest brother of the Fuller family, Sir Benjamin Fuller, pronounced St James to be “the theatre perfect”. The theatre’s grand opening was on 5 July 1928 with the London Musical Company performing Archie.

The St James has undergone several major modifications since its construction. A year after it was finished, cinema projectors were added due to the popularity of cinema. Cinema was to become a major part of the St James; its first film screening was Gold Diggers of Broadway, shown on Boxing Day 1929.

In 1953, the building’s facade and vestibule underwent renovation for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II, who attended a cinema premiere screening in December of that year. As part of the renovations, the unique facade was hidden behind sheets of metal in an attempt to give the building a more modern look.

However, its Spanish-Renaissance style interior is well preserved. The main auditorium has three tiers of seating plus boxes, elaborate lighting and ornate plasterwork decoration; items of heritage value include statuettes, the terrazzo flooring and the grand marble staircase.

In 1957, the Odeon Cinema with 670 seats was added to the theatre complex. In 1966 further modifications were made to the Queen Street facade; in 1966 the West-end Cinema was added, the Regent Theatre was added in 1982.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -