A daring experiment is taking over Adelaide CBD’s Queen’s Theatre: one that promises to transform the historical building into one of the ‘go-to’ venues of the Adelaide Fringe.
Tucked away from the bustling racket of Currie Street, at the end of an offshoot laneway that seems virtually forgotten to passing commuters, lies an Adelaide treasure. Sandwiched between a construction site and a multi-storey car park, its Ancient Grecian façade protrudes like an anomaly. This, an Adelaide history aficionado would recognise, is the Old Queen’s Theatre.
Built only four years after the city of Adelaide was established, in its prime, the Queen’s Theatre entertained 1,000 Adelaideans per night. But it was ultimately too ambitious a venture for colonial South Australia: In 1868 the theatre was closed and its interior was gutted. Today, the largely abandoned site remains the oldest purpose-built theatre still standing on mainland Australia (Sydney tore theirs down).
Now, up-and-coming entrepreneurial duo Matthew Briggs and Colin Griffin, of Under The Microscope and Encoder Entertainment respectively, have set out to reintroduce the theatre to Adelaide audiences as the premium performing arts venue it once was.
In keeping with Matthew’s science-themed company, the cavernous, warehouse interior of the Queen’s will be transformed into a laboratory spectacle. “There will be jars with specimens inside, antique scientific equipment such as microscopes, and a magnificent lighting design by Mark Oakley,” Matthew says. “We are really trying to create an interactive experience for the audience that examines the intersection between science and art.”
Matthew, a PhD scientist by day (currently completing his thesis in ovarian cancer research) admits to being inspired by the Albert Einstein quote ‘the greatest scientists are artists as well’. He recalls, “In my mind, that quote defined everything about me and my company.” In describing the programme, he notes “we have a common thread of mental health, a touch of medical science, as well as bold experiments in our eclectic genres of cabaret, theatre, music and visual art.”
Colin Griffin, the other half of the production team, comes from an extensive background in the technical side of the performing arts. His company Encoder Entertainment specialises in production, event and artist management. ‘I’ve been around the traps long enough to know how important good production is to give an artist every opportunity to flourish,’ Colin says.
True to his word, The Lab will boast state of the art lighting and sound equipment, and the centrepiece: a seven-and-a-half foot grand piano.
Colin points out that The Lab will also be open as a bar in its own right, partitioned from the performance space and running until late. In addition, The Lab will transform into a café during the daytimes, where patrons may view its three featured visual art exhibitions. “We want to be as adaptable as possible to give Fringe-goers as many opportunities as we can to come in and experience this space,” Colin mentions.
Matthew adds with a smile, “we’re telling people to come and be part of the experiment. To see what’s at The Lab.”
