Geoffrey Rush performed there. So did Michael Caton. And The Go-Betweens.
And now, after an 18-month refurbishment, the iconic Avalon Theatre has reopened as a unique teaching and performance space for The University of Queensland.
Drama students and the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble will soon be taking to its stage, more than a century after construction of the original building, located at 172 Sir Fred Schonell Drive, within walking distance of UQ’s main St Lucia campus.
UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry says the university worked closely with heritage experts to ensure the renewed design paid homage to the theatre’s legacy.
“The Avalon Theatre has a long history in the St Lucia community, which has been front of mind throughout the project,” Prof Terry says. “It’s wonderful to see historical elements of the theatre given a new lease on life, alongside professional-standard theatre equipment and technology to create a fit-for-purpose venue.
“The theatre is known for its unique Art Deco-inspired facade, so it was particularly important this was sympathetically recreated to maintain its identity.”
Original weatherboard from the timber hall, window frames, brickwork and front steps were retained and combined with a modern extension housing a fully equipped professional theatre. A second sound-proof space can also be used for teaching, learning and performances. In the foyer, vibrant artwork features programs and posters from past productions reflecting the theatre’s rich history.
And now that history will continue. Built in the 1920s as a church hall for the local Anglican parish, the building later became a community hall and picture theatre. The university acquired the Avalon in 1963 as a dedicated space for drama performances, then for teaching. The ageing building closed in 2004.
“Through the Avalon’s redevelopment the university will continue supporting the local arts and cultural scene and foster the next generation of talent at UQ,” Prof Terry says.
“The venue will initially be used for teaching and learning by our school of communication and arts drama program and resident theatre company Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble, which started at the Avalon in 2001. In time, our plan is for the Avalon to also be available for use by the local community.”
UQ school of languages and cultures Associate Professor Rob Pensalfini has a long history with the Avalon Theatre. (Avalon, by the way, is a mythical island in the Arthurian legend.)
“I arrived at UQ in mid-1999 as a lecturer in linguistics,” Assoc Prof Pensalfini recalls. “During this time I directed student shows and taught in the old Avalon. While working with some local theatre companies I realised no one was offering the contemporary classical work I wanted to make. So, in late 2001, two collaborators and I started the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble. We were granted use of the Avalon Theatre when it was not being used for teaching and student rehearsals.
“QSE produced its first show As You Like It at the end of 2002 at the Avalon Theatre, and around that time we became the university’s resident theatre company. QSE’s last professional production in the Avalon was Pericles in 2004, before the ageing Avalon closed.
“Now we are very excited to be working towards the first professional production in the reinvigorated Avalon Theatre. The space is remarkable – state of the art, but retains the connection of the old Avalon’s history and spirit.
“Returning to the Avalon is like coming home after a long absence. QSE has grown so much in the last two decades, and gone from a fledgling troupe to a lasting player in Brisbane’s independent theatre community. Rehearsals for Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble’s upcoming production of Julius Caesar will begin in a couple of weeks at the Avalon Theatre.
“The story of Julius Caesar seems like a fitting play during the current times. From Rome to the contemporary era, the story of tyranny and autocracy has played out time and time again as we explore themes like honour, friendship and populism. It will be a thrilling production for our audiences, filled with visual imagery and sound.”
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The Avalon Theatre will host UQ drama programs’ undergraduate Vanguard Theatre Festival, October 23-25 (open to the public); Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble’s Julius Caesar will be staged November 7-24, qldshakespeare.org. For more information about the Avalon’s restoration, go to:
about.uq.edu.au/initiatives/projects/avalon-theatre-restoration
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