86-611: Circa Theatre is a professional theatre company in Wellington , New Zealand, that was established in 1976. They present a number of plays each year in their two auditoriums, and have a unique partnership and funding model with incoming shows underpinned with a cooperative principle. Circa Theatre was formed in 1976 by a group of actors who were reacting against what they saw as an administration-heavy professional theatre scene in New Zealand. Many of this group had come through Unity Theatre ,
172-546: A St Vincent de Paul opshop". New Zealand Listener, p. 54. Hall, Roger (30 May 2004). "The best and worst of times". Sunday Star-Times, pp. 16–17. Hall, Roger (17 July 2004). "Our flag". New Zealand Listener, p. 7. Hall, Roger (14 August 2004). "The double exile of Peter Bland". New Zealand Listener, p. 46. Hall, Roger (11 September 2004). "Gielgud the actor". New Zealand Listener, p. 7. Hall, Roger (2 October 2004). "What I read". New Zealand Listener, p. 12. Hall, Roger (20 November 2004). "Hail,
258-636: A colonial outpost, and from there to an Australasian capital that has experienced a "remarkable creative resurgence". Wellington takes its name from Arthur Wellesley , the first Duke of Wellington and victor of the Battle of Waterloo (1815): his title comes from the town of Wellington in the English county of Somerset . It was named in November 1840 by the original settlers of the New Zealand Company on
344-429: A competition run by Wellington's Architecture Centre in 2007. Part of Grant Tilly's brief as theatre consultant was to keep the intimate nature of the theatre experience and having a flexible auditorium with movable seating, he designed an auditorium with a kite shape and movable sections of seating. The premiere presentation of Roger Hall 's play Glide Time at Circa Theatre in 1976 became a huge hit, and transferred to
430-426: A cooperative model of presenting plays and all invested their time in setting up a venue. The founding members were Ray Henwood , Carolyn Henwood , Grant Tilly , Fay Tilly, George Webby, Susan Wilson , Ross Jolly, Anne Flannery, Ian McClymont, Marilyn Head, Michael Haigh , Stuart Devenie , Gwen Kaiser, Jean Betts and Tony Lane. In 1996 Circa Theatre published a book compiling a twenty-year history that summarises
516-407: A decision made by the insurer. Two of the buildings demolished were about eleven years old – the seven-storey NZDF headquarters and Statistics House at Centreport on the waterfront. The docks were closed for several weeks after the earthquake. Steep landforms shape and constrain much of Wellington city. Notable hills in and around Wellington include: Averaging 2,055 hours of sunshine per year,
602-604: A headmaster who has an affair with a young teacher. The tragi-comedy had a 15-month run in the West End and won the Comedy of the Year Award ( Society of London Theatre ) and in 1979 became one of the first New Zealand plays to be transformed into a feature film. Grant Tilly starred, as he had when the play debuted in Wellington. Conjugal Rites was made into a situation comedy series in
688-520: A hub for information technology and innovation, with two public research universities. Wellington is one of New Zealand's chief seaports and serves both domestic and international shipping. The city is chiefly served by Wellington International Airport in Rongotai , the country's third-busiest airport . Wellington's transport network includes train and bus lines which reach as far as the Kāpiti Coast and
774-665: A magnitude 7 quake, but as it happens slowly, there is no damage. During July and August 2013 there were many earthquakes, mostly in Cook Strait near Seddon. The sequence started at 5:09 pm on Sunday 21 July 2013 when the magnitude 6.5 Seddon earthquake hit the city, but no tsunami report was confirmed nor any major damage. At 2:31 pm on Friday 16 August 2013 the Lake Grassmere earthquake struck, this time magnitude 6.6, but again no major damage occurred, though many buildings were evacuated. On Monday 20 January 2014 at 3:52 pm
860-496: A major fault, the Wellington Fault , running through the centre of the city and several others nearby. Several hundred minor faults lines have been identified within the urban area. Inhabitants, particularly in high-rise buildings, typically notice several earthquakes every year. For many years after the 1855 earthquake, the majority of buildings were made entirely from wood. The 1996-restored Government Buildings near Parliament
946-572: A playwright. In 2006 he was the subject of documentary Who Laughs Last . In 2014 he was presented a Scroll of Honour from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand Inc for a lifetime of excellence in the performing arts. In 2015 he was awarded the Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement in Fiction. In the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours , Hall was promoted to Knight Companion of
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#17328729433341032-400: A population density of 1,900 people per km . The urban area had a population of 201,708 in the 2023 New Zealand census , a decrease of 84 people (−0.0%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 11,595 people (6.1%) since the 2013 census . There were 97,143 males, 101,898 females and 2,667 people of other genders in 77,472 dwellings. 9.0% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age
1118-510: A population density of 743 people per km . This comprises 214,200 people in the Wellington urban area and 1,100 people in the surrounding rural areas. Wellington City had a population of 202,689 in the 2023 New Zealand census , a decrease of 48 people (−0.0%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 11,733 people (6.1%) since the 2013 census . There were 97,641 males, 102,372 females and 2,673 people of other genders in 77,835 dwellings. 9.0% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age
1204-411: A rolling 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the lower North Island 15 km east of Eketāhuna and was felt in Wellington, but little damage was reported initially, except at Wellington Airport where one of the two giant eagle sculptures commemorating The Hobbit became detached from the ceiling. At two minutes after midnight on Monday 14 November 2016, the 7.8 magnitude Kaikōura earthquake , which
1290-576: A season in the UK. Hall has had many plays, series, and talks on radio, including The Dream Factory for the BBC . Hall has contributed to the arts in several other ways. Most notably he organised the first NZ Writers' Week, held in Dunedin in 1989, where twenty-nine NZ writers appeared, NZ plays were performed, and various exhibitions linked to local writing were held. Thousands of people attended, and another Writers’ Week
1376-494: A series of interconnected grid plans , expanding along valleys and lower hill slopes. The Wellington urban area , which only includes urbanised areas within Wellington City, has a population of 214,200 as of June 2024. The wider Wellington metropolitan area , including the cities of Lower Hutt , Porirua and Upper Hutt , has a population of 440,700 as of June 2024. The city has served as New Zealand's capital since 1865,
1462-551: A son and a daughter. His daughter, Pip Hall , is a playwright and television producer. Hall was a Burns Fellow in 1977 and in 1978. In the 1987 New Year Honours , he was made a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for community service. Victoria University made him an Honorary Doctor of Literature in 1996. He was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours , for services as
1548-525: A standard four week run for shows with a week in between for production. Current support for Circa is received from Creative New Zealand, the Wellington City Council and other sponsors. In 1975 Circa Theatre Inc. took over the building on Harris Street in Wellington in a former advertising agency that was going to be demolished. Wellington City Council stayed the demolition to enable Circa to be there. The original Circa members renovated an area on
1634-542: A status that is not defined in legislation, but established by convention; the New Zealand Government and Parliament , the Supreme Court and most of the public service are based in the city. Wellington's economy is primarily service -based, with an emphasis on finance, business services, government, and the film industry. It is the centre of New Zealand's film and special effects industries, and increasingly
1720-511: A theatre whose heart is the play in performance. Now larger in scale than in the 1970s Circa Theatre still operates with the same principles that it started with and is an incorporated society governed by Circa Council. On an annual basis Circa Council programmes the years events and presentations, and form a partnership with each of the companies that present work. The Circa Council programmes two venues, Circa One of approximately 250 seats and Circa Two of approximately 100 seats. Circa Theatre has
1806-621: A time when New Zealand's population was 1.6 million. Wellington is at the south-western tip of the North Island on Cook Strait , separating the North and South Islands. On a clear day, the snowcapped Kaikōura Ranges are visible to the south across the strait. To the north stretch the golden beaches of the Kāpiti Coast . On the east, the Remutaka Range divides Wellington from the broad plains of
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#17328729433341892-506: A time) on the flat area at the mouth of the Hutt River . Within months that area proved swampy and flood-prone, and most of the newcomers transplanted their settlement across Wellington Harbour to Thorndon in the present-day site of Wellington city. Wellington was declared a city in 1840, and was chosen to be the capital city of New Zealand in 1865 . Wellington became the capital city in place of Auckland , which William Hobson had made
1978-565: Is the capital city of New Zealand . It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island , between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range . Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand, and is the administrative centre of the Wellington Region . It is the world's southernmost capital of a sovereign state . Wellington features a temperate maritime climate, and is the world's windiest city by average wind speed . Māori oral tradition tells that Kupe discovered and explored
2064-438: Is an architecturally interesting building in Wellington as the facade is from a heritage building the former Westport Coal Company building (1916), it was moved onto site from across the road. The Westport Coal Company was once New Zealand's largest coal producer and supplier. The new Circa Theatre building did not receive positive reviews from the architectural community and it made the Wellington's top-ten ‘worst buildings’ list in
2150-607: Is available between its harbour and the surrounding hills. It has very few open areas in which to expand, and this has brought about the development of the suburban towns. Because of its location in the Roaring Forties and its exposure to the winds blowing through Cook Strait , Wellington is the world's windiest city, with an average wind speed of 27 km/h (17 mph). Wellington's scenic natural harbour and green hillsides adorned with tiered suburbs of colonial villas are popular with tourists. The central business district (CBD)
2236-426: Is close to Lambton Harbour, an arm of Wellington Harbour , which lies along an active geological fault , clearly evident on its straight western shore. The land to the west of this rises abruptly, meaning that many suburbs sit high above the centre of the city. There is a network of bush walks and reserves maintained by the Wellington City Council and local volunteers. These include Otari-Wilton's Bush , dedicated to
2322-460: Is notorious for its southerly blasts in winter, which may make the temperature feel much colder. It is generally very windy all year round with high rainfall; average annual rainfall is 1,250 mm (49 in), June and July being the wettest months. Frosts are quite common in the hill suburbs and the Hutt Valley between May and September. Snow is very rare at low altitudes, although snow fell on
2408-401: Is now part of the central business district. For this reason, the street named Lambton Quay is 100 to 200 metres (325 to 650 ft) from the harbour – plaques set into the footpath mark the shoreline in 1840 , indicating the extent of reclamation. The 1942 Wairarapa earthquakes caused considerable damage in Wellington. The area has high seismic activity even by New Zealand standards, with
2494-747: Is so wrong with children's television in New Zealand". Otago Daily Times, p. 4. Hall, Roger (January 1981). "The painter of Mt Pisa". Air New Zealand Skyway, pp. 20–24. Hall, Roger (17 October 1987). "Dramatic lapses". New Zealand Listener, p. 61. Hall, Roger (4 February 1990). "Favourites". Sunday, p. 41. Hall, Roger (March 1996). "Family ties: Halls of fame". North and South, no. 120, p. 14. Hall, Roger (March 1996). "Hall marks: Hello sailor". North and South, pp. 44–45. Hall, Roger (7 September 1996). "Pedalling on". New Zealand Listener, p. 58. Hall, Roger (19 October 1996). "A train in Spain: Our playwright abroad stays mainly on
2580-462: Is the largest wooden building in the Southern Hemisphere. While masonry and structural steel have subsequently been used in building construction, especially for office buildings, timber framing remains the primary structural component of almost all residential construction. Residents place their confidence in good building regulations , which became more stringent in the 20th century. Since
2666-616: The Arts Foundation of New Zealand . Hall's autobiography, Bums on seats , was published by Penguin Books in 1998. He has also written for children and family audiences (with a series of pantomimes, staged annually at Circa Theatre from 2005 to 2012 and 2014–2015). in the 21st century has also been a frequent book reviewer and travel journalist in publications such as the New Zealand Listener, New Zealand Herald and Dominion-Post. He has
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2752-584: The Chatham Islands . The Waitangi Tribunal has found that at the time of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, Te Ātiawa, Taranaki, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Tama, and Ngāti Toa held mana whenua interests in the area, through conquest and occupation. Steps towards European settlement in the area began in 1839, when Colonel William Wakefield arrived to purchase land for the New Zealand Company to sell to prospective British settlers. Prior to this time,
2838-502: The City Gallery , and the former Post and Telegraph Building ; and the curves and vibrant colours of post-modern architecture in the CBD. Roger Hall (playwright) Sir Roger Leighton Hall KNZM QSO (born 17 January 1939) is one of New Zealand's most successful playwrights, arguably best known for comedies that carry a vein of social criticism and feelings of pathos. Hall
2924-660: The National Archives , the National Library , New Zealand's national museum, Te Papa and numerous theatres. It plays host to many artistic and cultural organisations, including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Royal New Zealand Ballet . Its architectural attractions include the Old Government Buildings – one of the largest wooden buildings in the world – as well as the iconic Beehive ,
3010-682: The Opera House, Wellington . This play was formative for New Zealander's acceptance of 'home-grown' theatre. At that time, most of the plays presented in New Zealand were by writers from America or the United Kingdom. Glide Time was turned into a successful television series renamed Gliding On , and starred some of the actors who had been in the Circa production. The establishment of the Theatre Artists Charitable Trust (TACT) in 1987
3096-457: The Wairarapa , a wine region of national notability. With a latitude of 41° 17' South, Wellington is the southernmost capital city in the world . Wellington ties with Canberra , Australia, as the most remote capital city, 2,326 km (1,445 mi) apart from each other. Wellington is more densely populated than most other cities in New Zealand due to the restricted amount of land that
3182-518: The Wairarapa Fault to the north and east of Wellington. It was probably the most powerful earthquake in recorded New Zealand history, with an estimated magnitude of at least 8.2 on the Moment magnitude scale . It caused vertical movements of two to three metres over a large area, including raising land out of the harbour and turning it into a tidal swamp. Much of this land was subsequently reclaimed and
3268-442: The nickname of "Windy Wellington". Legends recount that Kupe discovered and explored the region in about the 10th century. Before European colonisation, the area in which the city of Wellington would eventually be founded was seasonally inhabited by indigenous Māori . The earliest date with hard evidence for human activity in New Zealand is about 1280. Wellington and its environs have been occupied by various Māori groups from
3354-504: The "restructured" public service environment of New Zealand's post- Rogernomics era. The characters of The Share Club (1987, before the Stock Market crash ) and After the Crash (1988) were seen on television series Neighbourhood Watch . Hall's best-known works internationally are Middle-Age Spread (1978, revised 1980) and Conjugal Rites (1991). Middle Age Spread revolves around
3440-400: The 12th century. The legendary Polynesian explorer Kupe, a chief from Hawaiki (the homeland of Polynesian explorers, of unconfirmed geographical location, not to be confused with Hawaii ), was said to have stayed in the harbour from c. 925 . A later Māori explorer, Whatonga, named the harbour Te Whanganui-a-Tara after his son Tara. Before the 1820s, most of the inhabitants of
3526-554: The Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 , earthquake readiness has become even more of an issue, with buildings declared by Wellington City Council to be earthquake-prone, and the costs of meeting new standards. Every five years, a year-long slow quake occurs beneath Wellington, stretching from Kapiti to the Marlborough Sounds . It was first measured in 2003, and reappeared in 2008 and 2013. It releases as much energy as
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3612-500: The Circumstances . Hall's best-known work in New Zealand is probably his breakthrough play Glide Time (1976), which depicts the frustrations and petty triumphs of a group of so-called 'public servants' working in a government office. It gave rise to a radio show, a one-off television adaptation, then popular 1980s television series Gliding On . A sequel play and television series, both called Market Forces also followed, set in
3698-504: The Mercer worldwide Cost of Living Survey. In 2019, Mercer ranked cities on personal safety, including internal stability, crime levels, law enforcement, limitations on personal freedom, relationships with other countries and freedom of the press. Wellington shared ninth place internationally with Auckland. In addition to governmental institutions, Wellington accommodates several of the nation's largest and oldest cultural institutions, such as
3784-622: The Māori inhabitants had had contact with Pākehā whalers and traders. European settlement began with the arrival of an advance party of the New Zealand Company on the ship Tory on 20 September 1839, followed by 150 settlers on the Aurora on 22 January 1840. Thus, the Wellington settlement preceded the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi (on 6 February 1840). The 1840 settlers constructed their first homes at Petone (which they called Britannia for
3870-709: The New Theatre and Downstage Theatre in Wellington. Circa Theatre was part of a wave of professional theatre companies in New Zealand that started with Downstage Theatre in 1964, and was followed by the Mercury Theatre , Auckland (1968), Four Seasons, Whanganui (1970), The Court Theatre , Christchurch (1971), Gateway Theatre, Tauranga (1972), Fortune , Dunedin (1973), Theatre Corporate, Auckland (1973) and Centrepoint Theatre , Palmerston North (1974). The founding Circa Theatre group wanted to keep costs low and focus on quality scripts and performances. They developed
3956-1014: The New Zealand Order of Merit , for services to theatre. Hall, Roger (1977). Glide Time. Wellington: Victoria University Press. Hall, Roger (1978). Middle Age Spread. Wellington: Victoria University Press. Hall, Roger (1979). State of the Play. Wellington: Victoria University Press. Hall, Roger (1980). Prisoners of Mother England. Wellington: Playmarket. Hall, Roger (1982). Fifty Fifty. Wellington: Victoria University Press. Hall, Roger (1983). Hot Water. Wellington: Victoria University Press. Hall, Roger (1983). The Quiz in On Stage Book 1: 4 Plays for Secondary Schools ed. Dowling, David. Auckland: Longman Paul. Hall, Roger (1984). Footrot Flats. Wellington: Playmarket / Independent Newspapers Limited. Hall, Roger (1988). The Share Club. Wellington: Victoria University Press. Hall, Roger (1992). Conjugal Rites. New York: Samuel French Inc. Hall, Roger (9 March 1978). "What
4042-809: The Shelf, premiered at the Fortune Theatre, Dunedin, in 1986. It had two pre-West End try-out productions in the United Kingdom, the second in 1993 directed by Sir Alan Ayckbourn at his Scarborough Theatre, and the libretto was published by Samuel French Limited. In recent years, his plays Who Wants to be 100? ( Anyone Who's 99 ) (2008), Four Flat Whites in Italy (2009), and A Shortcut to Happiness (2011) had hugely successful runs throughout New Zealand. His show about grandparenting, You Can Always Hand Them Back (2012), has songs by British performer/songwriter Peter Skellern , and has been performed throughout New Zealand and had
4128-563: The UK starring Gwen Taylor and Michael Williams . The characters from Conjugal Rites reappear in Hall's final play to date, Winding Up, which premiered at the Auckland Theatre Company in 2020. He was co-writer with Philip Norman and A K Grant of Footrot Flats the Musical , which has had more than 120 productions in New Zealand and Australia. Their follow-up collaboration, Love Off
4214-531: The Wairarapa , and ferries connect the city to the South Island . Often referred to as New Zealand's cultural capital, the culture of Wellington is a diverse and often youth-driven one which has wielded influence across Oceania . One of the world's most liveable cities , the 2021 Global Livability Ranking tied Wellington with Tokyo as fourth in the world. From 2017 to 2018, Deutsche Bank ranked it first in
4300-594: The Wellington region were Whatonga's descendants. At about 1820, the people living there were Ngāti Ira and other groups who traced their descent from the explorer Whatonga, including Rangitāne and Muaūpoko . However, these groups were eventually forced out of Te Whanganui-a-Tara by a series of migrations by other iwi (Māori tribes) from the north. The migrating groups were Ngāti Toa , which came from Kāwhia , Ngāti Rangatahi, from near Taumarunui , and Te Ātiawa , Ngāti Tama , Ngāti Mutunga , Taranaki and Ngāti Ruanui from Taranaki . Ngāti Mutunga later moved on to
4386-554: The building was empty. The capital city is also the location of the highest court, the Supreme Court of New Zealand , and the historic former High Court building (opened 1881) has been enlarged and restored for its use. The Governor-General's residence, Government House (the current building completed in 1910) is situated in Newtown , opposite the Basin Reserve . Premier House (built in 1843 for Wellington's first mayor, George Hunter ),
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#17328729433344472-526: The capital in 1841 . The New Zealand Parliament had first met in Wellington on 7 July 1862, on a temporary basis; in November 1863, the Prime Minister of New Zealand , Alfred Domett , placed a resolution before Parliament in Auckland that "... it has become necessary that the seat of government ... should be transferred to some suitable locality in Cook Strait [region]." There had been some concerns that
4558-425: The census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 62,259 (36.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 66,273 (38.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 24,219 (14.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $ 55,400, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 40,632 people (23.5%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
4644-425: The census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 62,484 (36.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 66,657 (38.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 24,339 (14.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $ 55,500, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 40,872 people (23.6%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
4730-640: The city and many other parts of the Wellington region during separate events on 25 July 2011 and 15 August 2011. Snow at higher altitudes is more common, with light flurries recorded in higher suburbs every few years. On 29 January 2019, the suburb of Kelburn (instruments near the old Metservice building in the Wellington Botanic Garden ) reached 30.3 °C (87 °F), the highest temperature since records began in 1927. Wellington City covers 289.91 km (111.93 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 215,300 as of June 2024, with
4816-421: The climate of Wellington is temperate marine , ( Köppen : Cfb , Trewartha : Cflk ), generally moderate all year round with mild summers and cool to mild winters, and rarely sees temperatures above 26 °C (79 °F) or below 4 °C (39 °F). The hottest recorded temperature in the city is 31.1 °C (88 °F) recorded on 20 February 1896 , while −1.9 °C (29 °F) is the coldest. The city
4902-641: The executive wing of Parliament Buildings as well as internationally renowned Futuna Chapel . The city's art scene includes many art galleries, including the national art collection at Toi Art at Te Papa. Wellington also has many events such as CubaDupa , Wellington On a Plate , the Newtown Festival , Diwali Festival of Lights and Gardens Magic at the Botanical Gardens. Wellington's urban area covers 112.71 km (43.52 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 214,200 as of June 2024, with
4988-493: The first time on 26 July 1865. At that time, the population of Wellington was just 4,900. The Government Buildings were constructed at Lambton Quay in 1876. The site housed the original government departments in New Zealand . The public service rapidly expanded beyond the capacity of the building, with the first department leaving shortly after it was opened; by 1975 only the Education Department remained, and by 1990
5074-573: The free event. OXFAM benefits from a collection and Lovatt donates his fee to the same charity. In the 1980s, Hall set up a society to improve children's television (Monitor) and has also served on many arts boards and organisations including the NZ Literary Fund Advisory Committee, the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, chairman of Fortune Theatre Board, Frank Sargeson Trust, Janet Frame Eden Street Trust, and Governor of
5160-431: The ground level to create a 100-seat auditorium, dressing rooms and storage on the first level and a rehearsal room on the top level. The current home of Circa Theatre is next to Te Papa Tongarewa, The National Museum of New Zealand in a prominent location on Wellington's waterfront. The Circa Theatre building was purpose built and designed by Ampersand architects and theatre consultant Grant Tilly and opened in 1994. This
5246-489: The harbour is to the east of the Miramar Peninsula, and contains the dangerous shallows of Barrett Reef , where many ships have been wrecked (notably the inter-island ferry TEV Wahine in 1968 ). The harbour has three islands: Matiu/Somes Island , Makaro/Ward Island and Mokopuna Island . Only Matiu/Somes Island is large enough for habitation. It has been used as a quarantine station for people and animals, and
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#17328729433345332-399: The harbour. Wellington's status as the capital is a result of constitutional convention rather than statute. Wellington is New Zealand's political centre, housing the nation's major government institutions. The New Zealand Parliament relocated to the new capital city, having spent the first ten years of its existence in Auckland. A session of parliament officially met in the capital for
5418-462: The more populous South Island (where the goldfields were located) would choose to form a separate colony in the British Empire . Several commissioners (delegates) invited from Australia, chosen for their neutral status, declared that the city was a suitable location because of its central location in New Zealand and its good harbour ; it was believed that the whole Royal Navy fleet could fit into
5504-461: The new name was at once adopted". In the Māori language , Wellington has three names: The legendary Māori explorer Kupe , a chief from Hawaiki (the homeland of Polynesian explorers, of unconfirmed geographical location, not to be confused with Hawaii ), was said to have stayed in the harbour prior to 1000 CE. Here, it is said he had a notable impact on the area, with local mythology stating he named
5590-579: The official residence of the prime minister , is in Thorndon on Tinakori Road. Over six months in 1939 and 1940, Wellington hosted the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition , celebrating a century since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi . Held on 55 acres of land at Rongotai, it featured three exhibition courts, grand Art Deco-style edifices and a hugely popular three-acre amusement park. Wellington attracted more than 2.5 million visitors at
5676-577: The plain". New Zealand Listener, p. 58. Hall, Roger (21 December 1996). "Home comforts: Discover New Zealand's bed and breakfasts". New Zealand Listener, p. 56. Hall, Roger (22 February 1997). "Bunker mentality". New Zealand Listener, p. 56. Hall, Roger (July 1999), "The magic of uncertainty". Pacific Wave, pp. 48–51. Hall Roger (31 March 2001). "The people next door". New Zealand Listener, pp. 58–59. Hall, Roger (14 September 2002). "The Balkan trilogy". New Zealand Listener, pp. 44–46. Hall, Roger (8 May 2004). "Get thee to
5762-486: The plays and people involved from each years programme. The Circa Council at that time were Neville Carson, Rhona Carson, Peter Hambleton , Ray Henwood, Carolyn Henwood, Ruth Jeffery, Ross Jolly, Katherine McRae , Ian Nicholls, Bruce Phillips, John Reid, Grant Tilly, Jane Waddell , Linda Wilson and Susan Wilson. Grant Tilly wrote in the Circa Theatre twenty year anniversary book, "Circa remains above all an actors theatre,
5848-599: The protection and propagation of native plants. The Wellington region has 500 square kilometres (190 sq mi) of regional parks and forests. In the east is the Miramar Peninsula , connected to the rest of the city by a low-lying isthmus at Rongotai , the site of Wellington International Airport . Industry has developed mainly in the Hutt Valley, where there are food-processing plants, engineering industries, vehicle assembly and oil refineries. The narrow entrance to
5934-558: The region in about the 10th century. The area was initially settled by Māori iwi such as Rangitāne and Muaūpoko . The disruptions of the Musket Wars led to them being overwhelmed by northern iwi such as Te Āti Awa by the early 19th century. Wellington's current form was originally designed by Captain William Mein Smith , the first Surveyor General for Edward Wakefield 's New Zealand Company , in 1840. Smith's plan included
6020-449: The suggestion of the directors of the same, in recognition of the Duke's strong support for the company's principles of colonisation and his "strenuous and successful defence against its enemies of the measure for colonising South Australia". One of the founders of the settlement, Edward Jerningham Wakefield , reported that the settlers "took up the views of the directors with great cordiality and
6106-609: The template for all others. Hall began writing plays for children while teaching, which included a spell at Berhampore School, Wellington . He became a naturalised New Zealander in 1980. Hall began writing for television in the 1960s – over the next four decades his television output would grow to include one-off plays, documentaries, pioneering New Zealand television series Buck House and Pukemanu and time on political satire Spin Doctors . Alongside his writing, he appeared on-screen with actor Grant Tilly on 60s sketch show In View of
6192-412: The two islands in the harbour after his daughters, Matiu (Somes Island) , and Mākaro (Ward Island) . In New Zealand Sign Language , the name is signed by raising the index, middle, and ring fingers of one hand, palm forward, to form a "W", and shaking it slightly from side to side twice. The city's location close to the mouth of the narrow Cook Strait leaves it vulnerable to strong gales, leading to
6278-664: The venue used for festivals or events. In 1999, Circa hosted an international festival of women's performance produced by Magdalena Aotearoa . A symposium titled 'Staging the Future' was convened by the Theatre Artists' Charitable Trust (TACT) and hosted by Circa Theatre in 2003 and 2007. Between 2010 and 2016, Circa Theatre provided support and a venue for Tawata Productions Matariki Development Festival , an international indigenous playwrights festival. The Kia Mau Festival came from this playwrights festival and uses Circa Theatre as one of
6364-419: The venues. In 2016 Circa Theatre celebrated 40 years, and published a companion book to the 20 years book. Other significant moments include participation and support of New Zealand playwright workshops over the years, including in conjunction with Playmarket . 41°17′25″S 174°46′50″E / 41.29041°S 174.78048°E / -41.29041; 174.78048 Wellington Wellington
6450-534: The world for both livability and non-pollution. Cultural precincts such as Cuba Street and Newtown are renowned for creative innovation, " op shops ", historic character, and food . Wellington is a leading financial centre in the Asia-Pacific region, being ranked 46th in the world by the Global Financial Centres Index for 2024. The global city has grown from a bustling Māori settlement, to
6536-561: Was 34.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 28,986 people (14.4%) aged under 15 years, 54,912 (27.2%) aged 15 to 29, 94,272 (46.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 23,541 (11.7%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 72.0% European ( Pākehā ); 9.8% Māori ; 5.7% Pasifika ; 20.5% Asian ; 3.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English
6622-510: Was 34.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 29,142 people (14.4%) aged under 15 years, 55,080 (27.2%) aged 15 to 29, 94,806 (46.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 23,664 (11.7%) aged 65 or older. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 72.1% European ( Pākehā ); 9.8% Māori ; 5.7% Pasifika ; 20.4% Asian ; 3.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English
6708-563: Was an internment camp during World War I and World War II. It is a conservation island, providing refuge for endangered species , much like Kapiti Island farther up the coast. There is access during daylight hours by the Dominion Post Ferry. Wellington is primarily surrounded by water, but some of the nearby locations are listed below. Wellington suffered serious damage in a series of earthquakes in 1848 and from another earthquake in 1855. The 1855 Wairarapa earthquake occurred on
6794-555: Was another significant moment. The trust has attracted donations from sponsors and funders over the years, and allocates grants to the theatre companies who are in partnership with Circa to create and present shows. Original and ongoing sponsors are law firm Chapman Tripp . In 1994, a new purpose-built theatre building was opened at 1 Taranaki Street, Wellington. The opening production was Angels in America written by Tony Kushner . From time to time Circa Theatre supports other work with
6880-545: Was born in Woodford , Essex , England, and educated at London's University College School from 1952 until 1955, when he embarked on a career in insurance. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1957 and continued to work in insurance, also performing in amateur theatre in the city of Wellington. He continued to act while attending Wellington Teachers’ College and Victoria University of Wellington ; fellow actor John Clarke praised his impression of then Prime Minister Keith Holyoake as
6966-532: Was centred between Culverden and Kaikōura in the South Island, caused the Wellington CBD, Victoria University of Wellington , and the Wellington suburban rail network to be largely closed for the day to allow inspections. The earthquake damaged a considerable number of buildings, with 65% of the damage being in Wellington. Subsequently, a number of recent buildings were demolished rather than being rebuilt, often
7052-560: Was held two years later, and the event continues in Dunedin in a modified form every two years. In 2005, he arranged for a scene set on Takapuna Beach on Christmas Day in the 1930s from Bruce Mason 's one-man play The End of the Golden Weather to be performed on Takapuna Beach on Christmas Day. Actor Stephen Lovatt does the one-man show that is presented every year. It has now become an established tradition, with up to 500 people attending
7138-557: Was spoken by 96.3%, Māori language by 2.7%, Samoan by 1.7% and other languages by 23.4%. No language could be spoken by 1.6% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 34.4, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 26.9% Christian , 3.8% Hindu , 1.8% Islam , 0.4% Māori religious beliefs , 1.7% Buddhist , 0.5% New Age , 0.3% Jewish , and 1.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.7%, and 5.2% of people did not answer
7224-557: Was spoken by 96.3%, Māori language by 2.7%, Samoan by 1.8% and other languages by 23.5%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 34.4, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 26.9% Christian , 3.8% Hindu , 1.8% Islam , 0.4% Māori religious beliefs , 1.7% Buddhist , 0.5% New Age , 0.3% Jewish , and 1.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.6%, and 5.2% of people did not answer
7310-707: Was that 101,892 (59.0%) people were employed full-time, 24,063 (13.9%) were part-time, and 5,268 (3.0%) were unemployed. Wellington showcases a variety of architectural styles from the past 150 years – 19th-century wooden cottages, such as the Italianate Katherine Mansfield Birthplace in Thorndon; streamlined Art Deco structures such as the old Wellington Free Ambulance headquarters, the Central Fire Station, Fountain Court Apartments,
7396-515: Was that 102,369 (59.0%) people were employed full-time, 24,201 (13.9%) were part-time, and 5,283 (3.0%) were unemployed. Wellington ranks 12th in the world for quality of living, according to a 2023 study by consulting company Mercer. Of cities in the Asia–Pacific region, Wellington ranked third behind Auckland and Sydney. In 2024, Wellington was ranked as a highly affordable city in terms of cost of living , coming in at 145th out of 226 cities in
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