This year marks the 90th anniversary of the La Boite Theatre Company and they’re celebrating the milestone with an online retrospective and a glamorous birthday ball.
Today’s La Boite Theatre Company is a direct descendant of the Brisbane Repertory Theatre Society which was established by Miss Barbara Sisley and held their first production of A.A. Milne’s ‘The Dover Road’ on Friday July 31, 1925.
Barbara SisleyIn the program for ‘The Dover Road’, Sisley and her colleagues printed the following statement of the Society’s objectives and their commitment to the real star of the show: the story.
1925 – 'The Dover Road'“The plays selected must be plays of literary or dramatic merit, old or modern, that the public might not otherwise have the opportunity of seeing, care being taken to give the members of the society and the audience as much variety as possible. But always, and this is the main feature of the Repertory, the play is the thing. The actor, however good he may be, is given no undue prominence, the scenery must always be simple, a background to harmonise with the play, and nothing more.”
1989 – 'The Matilda Women', Christen O'Leary, Sharoleen Martin and Sue DwyerThis spirit formed the fundamental core of what the Society was about and to this day, La Boite upholds that commitment in the vision for the company which includes showcasing the talents of actors from a diverse range of backgrounds and ages.
1999 – 'Romeo & Juliet'Since that first performance, the company have staged productions of some of the best-known literary classics such as ‘Romeo & Juliet’ and ‘The Wizard Of Oz’, as well as Australian works, including ‘Mulga Bill’s Bicycle’ and Nick Earls’ ’48 Shades Of Brown’.
1931 – 'In Beauty It Is Finished'It has also been the centre of controversy, with the Society’s first scandal caused by the 1931 production of Brisbane playwright, George Landen Dann’s prizewinning play, ‘In Beauty It Was Finished’. The play caused ire amongst religious and moral conservatives for its realistic portrayal of a relationship between an Aboriginal man and a young white prostitute, which was obviously pretty saucy stuff at the time.
1968 – Babette Stephens Possibly almost as controversial, is the fact that one of its alumni, pioneering TV producer Reg Watson, is the same man who created ‘Neighbours’. Working as an actor, writer and director for the Society in the 1940s and 1950s, Reg left in 1955 to work as Head Of Light Entertainment for ATV in England where he created Britain’s first daily chat show, ‘Lunchbox’ as well as their first daily full-length half-hour soap, ‘Crossroads’. On his return to Australia in 1973 and working for Reg Grundy productions, he created ‘Neighbours’ using a concept he believed could for run for 20 years – keep in mind that 2015 marks the 30th anniversary of the show.
1967 – Entrance to the La Boite Theatre's first permanent homeHaving spent some four decades travelling between venues like Albert Hall and the Theatre Royal, in 1967 a Queenslander in Hale St was converted into a theatre-in-the-round, La Boite’s first permanent home. It was also how the name ‘La Boite’ (‘the box’) came about; as a hollowed-out house, it was remarked that the theatre resembled a large box.
2003 – 'Cosi' In 1975, Rick Billinghurst was appointed the inaugural Artistic Director for La Boite and under his guidance the company made the transition from amateur to pro-am production outfit. Between 1976 and 1979, Billinghurst was a driving force both artistically and financially; he was the first to market the theatre as ‘La Boite’, installed location signs on Hale St and by the end of his tenure, over 40, 000 patrons had seen 550 performances of 32 productions.
Throughout its extended history, La Boite has been a grass roots platform for burgeoning performers, artists, writers and directors. By the 1980s, it had earned a reputation as an innovative performance space which had given Brisbanites access to engaging alternative theatre.
1995 – Sue Rider Like any business, however, La Boite has had to endure times of economic difficulty, nearly having to close its doors in the early 90s before a State Government rescue package was announced. With the appointment in 1993 of Sue Rider as Artistic Director, who repositioned La Boite “as an originator and producer of Australian writing” it finally gained the status of a professional theatre company.
Building the roundhouse theatre in Kelvin GroveHaving spent their first decades as a transient company and then establishing themselves comfortably in their Hale St home, it was with great sadness and reticence the Company said goodbye to the beloved box in 2003. In conjunction with the Queensland University of Technology and the Queensland Government, a new home was planned for La Boite, now considered a vital cultural epicentre for the State.
Now – La Boite Theatre in Kelvin Grove in 2003 Currently based out of their Roundhouse Theatre in Kelvin Grove, La Boite are celebrating their 90th anniversary of producing high-quality local theatre with an online archive showcasing a vast collection of photos, programs, reviews and articles from their illustrious history.
La Boite is also hosting a 90th Birthday Ball capturing the timeless charm and glamour of the 1920’s era out of which the company was formed. Bringing together past and current performers, directors, supporters and loyal theatre fans, the Ball is an opportunity for La Boite lovers to reminisce and relive the magic of Brisbane’s iconic performance space.
The La Boite Theatre Company's 90th Birthday Ball will be held at La Boite, 31 July 2015.
