St James Theatre

Wellington · Nya Zeeland · Theatre

St James Theatre — Wellington · Nya Zeeland · Theatre

Russian acrobat Yuri fell to his death from the fly tower in the theatre's early days — now he toys with the lights and, they say, saves lives in Wellington's grand theatre.

Wellington's St James Theatre opened on Boxing Day 1912 and carries several of the capital's best-known ghost stories. A Russian performer named Yuri is said to have plunged to his death from the flies above the stage — pushed by a rival, in some tellings — and has fiddled with the house lights at night ever since; he is also credited with twice shoving a projectionist out of harm's way. In the darkness, the Wailing Woman can be heard as well: an actress who, legend has it, took her own life after being booed off stage. Even film director Peter Jackson has told of seeing her standing at the foot of his bed in his apartment across from the theatre.

FAQ

Where is St James Theatre located?

St James Theatre is in Wellington, Nya Zeeland.

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Image: Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons