Original Embroiderers Return to Care for The Civic's Flamingo Curtain
Published: Thursday 30 July
One of The Civic’s most cherished heritage treasures has undergone a rare round of maintenance, with members of The Stitch Connection returning 26 years after recreating the theatre’s iconic Flamingo Curtain.
Image by Andrew Hales
The magnificent curtain is itself a story of dedication and preservation. In 1999 and 2000, an army of skilled embroiderers spent nine months meticulously recreating the original 1929 curtain from a complex 2,000-piece pattern. Thousands of hours of volunteer labour went into stitching the replica, preserving a defining feature of Auckland’s much-loved atmospheric theatre for future generations.
Image by Andrew Hales
Looking back on the monumental undertaking, embroiderer Robyn Tubb says the achievement still feels remarkable. “Actually, when I think about it, I don't know how we did it, really. When I think back, and the timeframe that we did it in, I don't know how we did it. You know it was just astonishing.”
Now, over a quarter of a century later, several members of that original team have returned to undertake repairs ahead of the curtain’s appearance during Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival. The work includes reattaching rhinestones, repairing decorative braid and reinforcing seams to ensure the curtain remains as dazzling as ever.
Image by Andrew Hales
“The embroiderers here are part of the crew who reconstructed this curtain originally,” says Auckland Live Technical Sound and Vision Manager Bryce Gibson. “It is a replica of the original 1929 curtain. It's now 26 years old and it needs some maintenance.”
Image by Andrew Hales
The scale of the task is matched only by the scale of the curtain itself. “It's only when you get backstage you realise how gigantic things like the curtain actually are,” says George Farrant, Auckland Council's former Heritage Advisor. Because access to the stage is limited between productions, opportunities for major conservation work are rare. “Where serious maintenance can be done are few and far between,” he explains.
George Farrant | Image by Andrew Hales
For Robyn and her fellow embroiderers, the project is about more than repairs. It is a continuation of a legacy, ensuring one of The Civic’s most recognisable and beloved artworks continues to captivate audiences for decades to come.
