'New Zealand Odyssey', published in 1989 by Heinemann, was authored by me, Don Donovan (who did the text and illustrations) and Euan Sarginson, who did the photography and design. In this series of blog posts, I will publish some of my drawings.
This is how Kaikoura's Mayfair Theatre looked around 1988. It still looks the same today except that it's had at least one paint makeover since then - I suspect many more than one.
The simple, symmetrical art deco building comes as a bit of a surprise as you travel along the foreshore of the Kaikoura Peninsula whose architecture is largely New Zealand suburban seaside 'gothic' built around the late nineteenth early twentieth centuries. Kaikoura is one of those resorts whose populations swell enormously in the holiday season; otherwise I doubt that the small town could support a healthy theatre.
© DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz
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