David Spicer revisited Australia’s most expensive regional theatre – The Glasshouse in Port Macquarie, northern New South Wales. The 600-seat theatre, convention centre and art gallery opened in July after costing 50 million dollars … and prompting a local council to be sacked.
It’s a performer’s dream, but for many ratepayers – a nightmare.
The Glasshouse Theatre in Port Macquarie finally opened in July with a Bell Shakespeare production of The Taming of the Shrew.
The first performers raved. Actress Sandy Gore told the ABC mid-north Coast “it is one of the most beautiful spaces I have ever worked in, and in my 35 years of doing theatre that is something. It is extraordinary, the warmth of the theatre, the acoustics, we came here to warm up and the voice literally goes to the back wall and hits you back in the forehead.”
I visited the Glasshouse in June for ABC TV’s Stateline program and went on a tour with the Director Robyn Birrell.
From the outside it is surrounded by gleaming sheets of glass. Inside is even more spectacular.
“The first thing that you see (in the foyer) is this enormous sweep of wood around the front of the building, recycled from both the Sydney Opera House, the original building that was on the site, and local gums,” she said. “The shape of it was architecturally designed to reflect the lifestyle and community where we live, right by the water. So it has this feel of the bow of a ship about it.”
We then walked into the 600 square metre art gallery and upstairs to the theatre’s entrance.
“The wood slats represent the deck of a ship, or perhaps a boardwalk, which picks up our beach lifestyle,” she said.
Most impressive was the interior of the theatre.
“The first thing that strikes you is this extraordinary acoustic panelling. It's all over the walls and the roof and it can be moved to allow for the best amount of reflection and absorption, depending on what's being performed in the theatre. The seats are also acoustically designed, to give us the best sound possible, and you do get a sense of that rolling wave again when you come into this particular space,” she said.
The theatre is hoping to attract elite arts organisations. They even fitted a lift underneath the orchestra pit to allow room for a full symphony.
“So we will be able to take the ballet, the opera and some national touring shows that wouldn't be able to go to the smaller venues,” she said.
You get a different take on The Glasshouse when you speak to some ratepayers. Ian Ferguson has long campaigned against the construction of the venue on its current site.
“We call it the 'Farce House'. I regard it as in the wrong place. It is too big. It is unnecessarily expensive and it is a blight on this town,” he said. “If you look at the sums, it's $15,600 per day loss to ratepayers, every day.”
The New South Wales Government sacked the Hastings Port Macquarie Council last year when the estimated cost was $40 million. The final bill was $50 million. This for a community of less than 100,000 people.
How did it end up costing so much?
The main reason is the location. It’s tightly squeezed on a piece of riverfront land, next to the town’s main shopping centre. The Councillors who instigated the project insisted that a successful venue needed to be in the centre of town, near nightlife and restaurants. This meant it was more expensive to buy adjoining properties and more costly to build than building on a vacant block out of town.
Then came the discovery of a significant archaeological find on the site. When drains built by convicts during the 1820’s were uncovered during building work, it cost several million dollars to change the plans and conserve the drains under their own glasshouse.
It is also apparent that the Councillors went out of their way to build a Rolls Royce with all the trimmings. The Council was asked by the New South Wales Government to pause to consider the feasibility of the project but went full steam ahead.
Sacked Mayor Rob Drew is proud of the completed venue but remains bitter about his Council’s treatment.
“There's been nothing proven from the previous administration in maladministration, any breaches in planning legislation, no corruption. Yet it was seen fit to dismiss a council that was seen also to be very, very pro-active in the projects it delivered,” he said. “These projects aren't about just for today's community, but for future generations and for future communities as well.”
Under the current model The Glasshouse is also going to cost future generations plenty. The Council’s appointed administrator estimates it will cost six million dollars a year to run. This is an inflated ‘cost’. It includes depreciation and interest repayments. The actual annual running costs of the venue are just over two million dollars a year. That is costs for wages and running costs of the venue above income generated by renting out the venue.
Having spent a small fortune on the venue, there is an obligation to spend money on a decent program of events. However, it seems to me that the theatre’s Director Robyn Birrell is spending money in areas, which, in my view, are unnecessary for a regional venue. Almost all regional community theatres engage volunteer ushers. She insists on professional ushers to uphold an image of a higher standard venue.
There are also structural reasons which will limit income for the theatre. At 600 seats it is too small for a major music act. Also, the local amateur theatre (The Port Macquarie Players, which owns its own 200 seat theatre) has no desire ever to rent it.
Overall theatre buffs and lovers of elite arts events will treasure this superbly equipped facility, but it’s destined to be a place of great local controversy for some time to come.