THE CULTURAL CURMUDGEON IS UPSET

Author/commentator/flaneur/cultural watchdog Hamish Keith is incensed by a story in The Aucklander today.

Here is his reaction:

No sooner is there the slightest whiff that something civilised might be a part of the Queens Wharf development than the white anting begins.

In the Aucklander Edward Rooney expresses deep alarm that soon Auckland might have more theatres than stadiums (sic). Well it would be a bloody fine town if that were so.

Fact is that Auckland has knocked more theatres than Mr Rooney has had hot dinners to the point where there are virtually no venues of any useful size. Q Theatre after seventeen years of fund raising has finally got the dosh together for a 300 400 seat venue in Queen Street and on the Queens Wharf site Auckland Community Theatre see the possibility of the next size up at 600 to 700 seats. Then, Mr Rooney Auckland professional theatre will have two usable spaces instead of none. Get a grip!

The Bookman is with you Hamish.