But the theatre’s director has hit back, saying staff are doing their job in ensuring the best for the heritage listed building.
It follows concerns raised earlier this week by a spokesman for the Pink Floyd Experience, who said difficulties working with the Regent’s staff was one reason their upcoming tour was not coming to Dunedin.
In a social media post yesterday, Dunedin entertainer and producer Doug Kamo thanked the spokesman for calling out Regent management.
The theatre’s management wielded their "self-appointed power" to "discredit, disrupt and make the joy of presenting live entertainment downright disheartening and difficult", he said in the strongly-worded post.
The only reason his production company, Doug Kamo Creative Management, remained a customer of the Regent Theatre was because there was no other option that provided the required facilities, Mr Kamo said.
"There are lots of reasons why promoters are skipping our city. Our beautiful Regent Theatre should not be one of them.
"Yet it is and it is playing a major part in the death of live entertainment in our city."
Mr Kamo directed his comments towards the senior management of the theatre, and called for them to examine "their values and behaviour".
When contacted, Regent Theatre director Sarah Anderson said Mr Kamo was free to express his views.
While she did not agree with his comments, she said the theatre welcomed any constructive suggestions about what they could do to ensure live entertainment in Dunedin thrived.
Ms Anderson said their calendar suggested promoters were coming to the Regent Theatre, in spite of the inherent challenges a small city like Dunedin posed.
She said it would be surprising if any of the hundreds of people who attended Mr Kamo’s last production felt that their entertainment had been discredited and disrupted.
She had confidence in the professional capacity and integrity of theatre staff.
It was their responsibility to ensure everyone in the venue complied with practices regarding health and safety, financial viability and the building’s heritage status.
Given the theatre was a listed as a category 1 historic place by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, she said it could not just be "hosed down" to clean after an event, or "bog-patched" if a touring group wanted to drill through the stage or arch.
"Sometimes those conversations can be fraught, but ultimately the goal for all is to present work as well as it can be as safely as possible, which usually is the result."
She put the Pink Floyd Experience’s decision to stay away from Dunedin down to challenges with touring, the pandemic and cost -of-living crisis.
tim.scott@odt.co.nz , PIJF cadet reporter
