CURTAIN CALL AA Traveller writer, Anna Sarjeant, peeks behind the scenes at Auckland’s Civic Theatre.
ALL IMAGES: Behind the scenes on the Civic Theatre Tour © Anna Sarjeant
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ames Manning is the kind of man who could present a tour of a toilet block, and make it so riveting you’ll beg for another look at the U-bend. Give him a venue as distinguished as Auckland’s historic Civic Theatre and he’s in his element. With a seven-year tenure, rising from usher to FOH Supervisor in Charge and seasoned tour guide, James knows every nook of this playhouse, including its fascinating (and often salacious) past.
The hour-long backstage tour compels guests from the get-go, with the most delighful surprises often arising from unexpected places. Firstly, the stage is ten times larger than you could ever imagine, and secondly, those areas you first deem esteemed (such as the Green Room) are nowhere near as exciting as the secrets that James spills. From the original proprietor, Thomas O’Brien, who, in 1929 built
