Cultural commitments

Performing Arts & Entertainment in Canada, Spring, 1993 by Peter Steen

Art and acoustics merge with entrepreneurial expertise in a spectacular new theatre: The Princess of Wales, built to house the Canadian production of Miss Saigon - a show that requires a backstage area large enough to accommodate a three-quarter-size helicopter.

Few names are as readily recognizable to Torontonians as those of the entrepreneurial Mirvishes.

But with the ascension of Ed's son David as art dealer/patron extraordinaire, the recognition factor may soon prove nationwide.

David was raised in a city familiar with his father's retail bargain house. But for all the senior Mirvish's local fame, David says, "It was not an onerous burden being in my father's shadow." And while business scrutiny may have been a touch harsher for the young man, business opportunities granted by his familial situation were equally rosy.

In the sixties, at the age of eighteen David opened and managed a modern art gallery which was bankrolled by his father. The David Mirvish Gallery, for more than a decade, provided a vehicle for Canadian artists seeking international acclaim and foreign painters eyeing increased North American exposure.

The Markham Street locale acted as a classroom for the young Mirvish; teaching the intricacies of the art world. And it was during this time that David's admiration for the work of American contemporary artist Frank Stella was confirmed.

When the 80s rolled around, David had been both art dealer and employee of his father's firm. But it was the completion of two purchases - one at that time and one from almost twenty years previous - that would change his professional and artistic career:

In 1963, Ed Mirvish purchased The Royal Alexandra Theatre; a turn-of-the-century matron located in Toronto's downtown core. In 1982, London England's Old Vic joined the Royal Alex in the Mirvish theatre collection. David joined his father in the management of the cultural venues and saw his job description altered yet again.

This period, like the earlier `gallery' era, was a vital training ground. With theatre management and production, one needs not only a diplomat's honed inter-personal skills, but a field marshal's `big-picture' view and memory for detail.

Both theatres have since proven successful under the Mirvish stewardship. And this track record has initiated a new venue, born of their confidence and vision.

The Princess of Wales Theatre, opening in May, is the consummation of several aspects of David Mirvish's life. It is a business venture - representing an expanding, established approach to theatre management. It is also a vast expression of cultural patronage - a grand commitment to Canadian talent and ability.

But most of all, The Princess of Wales Theatre is the world's most lavish art gallery dedicated to the work of one man - Frank Stella.

To understand this final point, one must conceive of a structure which incorporates the art it displays. Stella's works are not merely hung for the audience's admiration. They are permanent, sometimes functional (see accompanying acoustics story) elements of the hall.

Even under construction, The Princess of Wales is an impressive site. The theatre, though totally new, has already begun to accumulate the aura of an established, historical landmark. Located steps from The Royal Alex, The Princess feels like a building which has undergone both the test of time and a few renovations: a hint of art deco, some Mediterranean elements and a modernist touch.

This last characteristic is encapsulated in the sculpture and murals of Stella. From the Capitol-style ceiling to the stairways and balcony fronts, the artist's modernism adds an edge to the usual decorative aspects of theatre design. The Princess of Wales is a canvas for the artist's vision.

Indeed, Stella's work is the realization of David Mirvish's desire to "bring curiosity into the theatre world. To make theatre more interactive, with more people." Even the varied design themes encountered, from the lobby to the seats, fulfills David's wish for theatre to be "sequential and episodic."

While The Princess is a gallery for both art and design, its utilitarian quality is not lost on Mirvish. "I see theatre as a machine," he says, "a tool, without which we can't create performances. The building is important to me, as it gives me a place to go to work."

Going to work, for Mirvish, involves everything from attending auditions and rehearsals, to reviewing marketing proposals for the shows he selects for his theatres.

"I try to surround myself with capable people. Capable people need a certain amount of freedom, so I try to grant my staff intellectual freedom in their jobs." While David's company, Mirvish Productions, has (in his words) an "informal structure", he still has final say over any decision - "keeping the big picture in mind."

The big picture now involves a 2,000-seat theatre, with a backstage about eight storeys high and 20 metres deep. As The Princess of Wales' inaugural production is Miss Saigon - with its three-quarter-sized helicopter - 140 electrical motors are in place under the stage, to manipulate the show's numerous sets and props.