MY SPACE

For JR Richardson the Theatre Royal Nelson Whakatū is his magical place

Venue technical manager JR Richardson’s favourite place is the Theatre Royal Nelson Whakatū.

Describe the space: “The Theatre Royal Nelson Whakatū is the oldest functioning wooden theatre in the Southern Hemisphere. Built in 1878, it’s a gorgeous 330-seat proscenium arch theatre. In 2010 the auditorium and facade were restored while a modern stage and back-of-house facility was developed. It’s the perfect combination of heritage and history to create a true sense of occasion, while being modern and functional to support the requirements that come with staging a live performance.”

What inspires you about this space? “The possibilities. The building itself has a certain charm and character, but in the midst of a show, it effectively disappears. It’s pretty much a portal through which you get to experience another world. I’m really grateful to be in a position to experience that so often and contribute to making it happen.” What feelings does the space

evoke? “Under normal operation, you get the full spectrum, sometimes in heavy doses! One night you might be cracking up at the most ridiculous thing, the next you could be genuinely confronted or challenged in a way you didn’t see coming. At the moment though, I feel lucky to be working. The live events industry has had a rough ride through the past 21 months.”

What is your role? “I am the venue technical manager, a role that sits alongside others beneath the umbrella of my company VenueTech. I am responsible for everything backstage. The main gig is working with our venue hirers; first in preproduction to ensure they understand the abilities and limitations of the venue relative to their needs, then getting on the tools to make sure it does. PreCovid, this place was seriously busy.” What are you doing in the photograph? “Undertaking annual maintenance. Once a year we remove everything from the rig, clean the facility from top to bottom, dismantle and service each lighting fixture, test every cable and all our patching systems, and get the broom right into the corner so we’re in the best possible position for the next calendar year.”