Supplied/Stuff Annie Whitfield, Valerie Ottaway, Leslie White, Peter MacKenzie and Heidi Jeynes perform in 2017 for ‘Murder At Checkmate Manor’ at the Little Theatre. She said a hard decision needed to be made by the council, whether that was to knock the building down or fix it. Larsen said she was concerned at a lack of suitable facilities for groups to use if the theatre closed, which the council acknowledged in its latest long-term plan. In 2018, the council committed $200,000 out of $1.4m-$1.6m needed for seismic-strengthening. This did not include an additional $1m later estimated for upgrades to the dilapidated interior.