Recreating the magic

Throughout the Theatre Royal's turbulent history, from its opening in 1908, its redesign in 1928, and its reconstruction following the Christchurch earthquakes of 2010 and 2011, the one constant feature of the theatre's auditorium has been the painted dome of scenes from Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. Now fully restored, the magical characters of Shakespeare's immortal comedy look down on audiences once more. In the words of Puck, "all is mended". The story of the restoration and reconstruction of Christchurch's Theatre Royal from the brink of collapse as a result of earthquake damage in 2011 to its triumphant reopening in November 2014, is as dramatic as any production that has taken place on the theatre's stage. The combined skills of architects and engineers, conservators and craftspeople and an army of construction workers have returned an Edwardian theatrical jewel to its former glory while enhancing the experience of audiences and performers alike. This is a story of triumph over seemingly impossible odds, one of the most significant success stories of Christchurch's post-quake recovery, and an insight into what can be achieved when people are determined to ensure that an important part of their architectural and theatrical heritage will survive. In reality, earthquake damage is only as great as we allow it to be.