Difference between revisions of "President Theatre"
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| − | In 1918, on the death of [[Karl Reck]], became the property of [[African Consolidated Theatres]], who converted it into the [[Capitol Theatre]]. | + | In 1918, on the death of [[Karl Reck]], [[His Majesty's Theatre]] became the property of [[African Consolidated Theatres]], who converted it into a new venue known as the [[Capitol Theatre]]. |
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== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
Revision as of 06:13, 15 May 2020
The President Theatre was one of several names given to a venue situated on the western side of Church Square, Pretoria, right next to the Nederlandsche Bank.
Contents
Reck's Lokal and/or the Alhambra Hall, Pretoria (1889?-1903)
In the late 1880s (?) Reck's Lokal, a the tavern of (Friederick?) Karl Reck's South African Hotel and Tavern on the western side of Church Square was converted to a theatre with room for an audience of 350 and “well adapted for dramatic entertainment, concerts and balls”. The tavern had been the place where the original Geselliger Verein von Deutschen in Pretoria was founded. This later became the Deutscher Verein.
Binge (1969) claims that the converted venue was initially called The Alhambra Theatre. The names The Alhambra or The Alhambra Hall also occur.
The President Theatre, Pretoria
At some stage Reck renamed The Alhambra to the President Theatre (referred as the President Teater to in Afrikaans).
For a while htis was the only theatre venue in the city, and operas and operettas were produced there by companies like the Verdi Opera Company, which ran for packed seasons of six months.
The Dutch amateur group Oefening Baart Kunst ("Practice produces Art") and the Rederykerskamer Onze Taal ("Our language", led by Dirk Balfoort) also used the theatre for their productions, between 1891-1899.
The Empress Theatre, Pretoria
In 1903 part of the hotel made way for the Nederlandsche Bank, while owner Reck added a skating rink to his entertainment complex and renamed the theatre the Empress Theatre. On Friederick Reck's death his son, Marcus Karl Reck took over the management of the hotel and theatre complex.
It was used by groups such as Onze Taal (1904-1912) Among the works put
His Majesty's Theatre, Pretoria
Some time after the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, the theatre was again renamed, now becoming His Majesty's Theatre.
The Capitol Theatre, Pretoria
In 1918, on the death of Karl Reck, His Majesty's Theatre became the property of African Consolidated Theatres, who converted it into a new venue known as the Capitol Theatre.
Sources
Based in part on reminiscencs of Mrs Iris Reck, daughter-in-law of Karl Reck – 15/4/2001, and documents she sent the Centre for Theatre and Performance Studies. Also see Binge (1969)
For more information
See also the Capitol Theatre, Pretoria
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