La Boite Theatre Building, Historic theatre building in Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, Australia.
La Boite Theatre Building is a circular theatre structure with dark brick walls, a suspended black ceiling, and exposed masonry throughout. The space was arranged to hold roughly 200 people seated around a central stage, creating an intimate viewing environment from all angles.
The Brisbane Repertory Theatre Society, founded in 1925 by Barbara Sisley and Professor Jeremiah Joseph Stable, opened a converted cottage theatre-in-the-round in June 1967. A new purpose-built theatre designed by Blair Wilson, with input from artistic director Jennifer Blocksidge, replaced it; the Queensland Governor Sir Alan Mansfield planted a time capsule in the foundations on 28 November 1971. Construction was financed by a dollar-for-dollar Queensland Government grant of $40,000, and the building was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 30 January 2004.
The theatre operated as a space without separation between stage and audience, where actors and viewers sat close enough to see each other's expressions clearly. This direct arrangement shaped how performances felt and made each show feel personal rather than distant.
The former theatre stands at 69 Hale Street, on the corner with Sexton Street in Petrie Terrace, and is now used as offices rather than a public venue. Its dark brick exterior, built with reject bricks, can be seen from the street; interior access is not open to visitors.
The building was Australia's first theatre-in-the-round specifically designed from the ground up for this circular layout. This concept was uncommon at the time and made the venue an experimental space for theatre productions.
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