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Story: Theatres, cinemas and halls

Dinner at Downstage

Image
Dinner at Downstage

Patrons enjoy a meal before a play at Wellington's Downstage Theatre in 1971. This cabaret style was an attempt to provide a less formal setting for dramatic performances, but was discontinued when the novelty wore off.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Harry Seresin Collection

Reference: PAColl-2460-1-15

by Warwick Teague

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Ben Schrader, Theatres, cinemas and halls – Theatre rises, cinema declines, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/42388/dinner-at-downstage (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Ben Schrader, published 21 August 2013.