Majestic Theatre: Nelson’s grand legacy

Anyone born in Nelson before 1995 may remember the old Majestic Theatre on Trafalgar Street, which certainly lived up to its name in every respect.

Opening in 1929, the 1200 seater was marvelled at by Nelsonians, and was one of the grandest of old ‘movie palaces’ from that era. Indeed, the Nelson Evening Mail at the time proclaimed, “It can unhesitatingly be stated that the Majestic Theatre compares favourably with any theatre in the Dominion.”

The theatre was filled to capacity on opening night, with many scores of people having to be turned away, and the Mail breathlessly exclaimed, “The interior decoration and appointment of the theatre were undoubtedly a tremendous surprise to everyone and admiration of the furnishings, lighting and general appearance of the interior was expressed on all sides.”

With an orchestra pit, ‘ten star’ dressing rooms and two chorus dressing rooms, the theatre was lit with over 500 bulbs using colour effects, and its total cost was 40,000 pounds. Films were played there as well as live performances, for many decades.

In 1958 it was reported a performance of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion was interrupted when two stage sets fell on the players ten minutes after opening. The curtains were drawn and thirteen minutes later they opened again with the stage set restored. The show went on, with none of the players injured.

The New Zealand Ballet Company visited in the 1960s with Alice in Wonderland, Façade and Nutcracker. Local shows included the RSA Tin Hats Club’s Anzac Day Revues, the Nelson SPCA’s Pet Parades, a Mannequin Parade showing off the latest fashions, and the Coles Talent Quest, which once featured renowned guitarist Peter Posa.

In 1964 the Vienna Boys Choir visited, as did the New Zealand Opera Company with Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte. And Billy J Kramer ‘and his long-haired associates’ played two packed-out shows.

The theatre hosted finalists in the Miss Zealand Pageants in 1966 and 1967, with performers like Howard Morrison, John Hore, Jerry Merito, Paul Walden, ‘The Māori Hakas’ and ‘The Quintikis’ playing to packed houses. The Māori Volcanics also performed at the theatre, and it was home to Anzac Day ceremonies.

However, by the late 1980s it seemed the theatre had fallen into disrepair, with the New Zealand Ballet’s Mark Keyworth saying the theatre was the worst in New Zealand in which the ballet had performed. “The facilities for the dancers, or for any performers on that stage, are to say the least, horrific.”

By 1996 the theatre belonged to the Apostolic Church, who had made a deal to sell it to developers, but a fire that gutted the building in early January meant the building was knocked down days later as it threatened other nearby buildings.

But certainly, from the 1930s to the 1980s the theatre holds great memories for many Nelsonians as a magnificent facility for concerts and films.

Story: Justin Eade