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Civic Theatre
Braamfontein, Johannesburg, Gauteng

Manfred HERMER: Architect

Date:1961
Type:Theatre
Status:Extant

 


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Coordinates:
26°11'26.97" S 28°02'18.30" E Alt: 1764m

The first building of what became a Civic Centre Complex for Johannesburg.

Description of the design of the Johannesburg Civic Theatre written by the architect, Manfred Hermer, and published in 1962 in both Afrikaans and English, in the book titled CIVIC THEATRE - STADSKOUBURG, JOHANNESBURG.

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Germany has built more theatres since the war than the rest of the world put together. This is an almost incredible feat. A small number of drama-faculty university theatres of advanced design have been built in America, while in England only the Chichester Festival Theatre and the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry have been completed since the war, and work on the very advanced Nottingham Theatre has been abandoned by Nottingham Corporation.

South Africa has in comparison an excellent record. The Johannesburg Civic Theatre is the ninth theatre to be built there since the war, the others being the Alexander in Johannesburg, the municipal theatres in Springs, Bloémfontein, East London and Bellville, and the Aula, the National Theatre and the Little Theatre in Pretoria.

For the architect faced with the problem of designing a theatre the whole concept depends on the type of stage considered to be the most suitable for the particular purpose to be achieved. The design starts at the place where the audience and performers confront each other, usually the proscenium frame, and resolves itself into a series of decisions regarding actor and audience relationships.

The traditional concept of a rigid separation of the audience from the performance no longer exists to the same stern degree in contemporary theatre. The action is nowadays bursting through the proscenium "picture frame" on to side stages and forestages, and the logical outcome is the arena stage, in which the audience completely surrounds the actors.

Theatres have been designed since Greek times for one form of staging or another, but it is rarely that playhouses have been built to provide completely flexible staging without the loss of the very desirable close relationship between actor and audience. Expensive and complicated stage machinery is not a desirable end in itself, but neither is the total abolition of the proscenium frame and the permanent abandonment of the auditorium to the open stage, with audience seated around it in a horseshoe or circle. One must remember that a large proportion of the plays performed today were written for the picture stage. In the realm of grand opera, too, the proscenium arch is an essential element in the traditional production of all the standard works from early times until today, with very few exceptions.

At the same time experimental and modern staging must have its opportunity, and the problem therefore resolves itself into one of dual-purpose staging. I believe that the dual-purpose type of theatre which represents this ideal will be found in the Johannesburg Civic Theatre. The highly flexible forestages, the sidestages on two levels, the alterable auditorium shape, the adjustable and indeed removable proscenium frame, the machinery on the main stage — all these offer an easily obtainable variety of intimate actor-audience relationships.

The design of the auditorium, foyers and ancillary departments follows logically. For the auditorium a simple and intimate shell was selected, and all seating is within 80 feet of the main stage. In order to unify the audience complete intercommunication between the two seating levels was considered desirable, and to achieve this effect the occupants of seats in the lower level have been completely surrounded by the audience in the descending arms. To create an atmosphere of sparkle and festivity, 440 exposed lamps are set in the sound reflectors of the ceiling and placed against a colour designed to contrast with the patterned, panelled walls. Large foyers on three levels are designed to stimulate social intercourse and create an excitement in theatre-going; and enough ancillary departments are provided to service the theatre, bearing in mind the fact that there is as yet no resident company for the building.

Let us hope that such a permanent company - or group of companies representing all the performing arts - will soon be established.

The design and carrying through to completion of such a theatre is a privilege given to few in their lives, and I, with Mr. Alec Hodge and my staff, am grateful to the city council for this opportunity. I hope the building will fulfil all their expectations.

Reference: Editorial Committee , CIVIC THEATRE STADSKOUBURG JOHANNESBURG, 1962, Johannesburg City Council, pp 73 - 76.

(Submitted by William MARTINSON)


Books that reference Civic Theatre

Greig, Doreen. 1971. A Guide to Architecture in South Africa. Cape Town: Howard Timmins. pg 153
Grobbelaar, Michael (Ed). 1962. CIVIC THEATRE - STADSKOUBURG JOHANNESBURG. Johannesburg: Johannesburg Civic Theatre. pg All