How Brisbane’s La Boite Theater survived 100 years of toil and trouble

Congratulations, get rich! Merlynn Tong is a comedy ghost story set in a karaoke bar, which will travel to Sydney and Singapore after its world premiere in Brisbane.

Colonial love story. Whitefella Yella TreeSydney playwright Dylan Van Den Bergh’s play will make its Queensland premiere at La Boite.

Christine Comans, author La Boite: The Story of an Australian Theater Companysaid La Boite is the oldest professional theater company in Australia.

“A lady (of British origin) called Miss Barbara Sisley came to Brisbane as a touring entertainer around 1916 and things fell apart and she stayed on to teach speech and drama and decided that Brisbane was ready for company.

“Together with Professor J. J. Stable, she founded the Brisbane Repertory Theater Society in 1925.”

The company’s first production was a comedy for adults about escaping couples by Winnie the Pooh creator A. A. Milne. Dover roadopened at the Royal Brisbane Theater on 31 July 1925.

To celebrate the occasion, La Boite will host La Boite Encores, a reading of the 10 best productions produced by La Boite over the last 100 years, one per week until July 31st.

“We’ve been able to bring back some of the original directors, and we’re in talks with some of the original actors to bring them back,” Stewart said.

The 10 plays include Queensland successes such as Matilda’s women, Zigzag Street, Narcissus And boy girl wall.

The Brisbane Repertory Theater became La Boite (French for “The Box”) in 1967 when the company moved to its iconic circular theater on Hale Street in Milton.

Famous actors such as Deborah Mailman, Leah Purcell, Cate Blanchett, Barry Otto, John Stanton and Geoffrey Rush appeared at La Boite early in their careers, along with Queensland icons Bill Brown, Sally McKenzie, Kristen O’Leary and hundreds of others.

Having been an amateur and then a professional troupe, La Boite became fully professional in 1993.

Loading

Stewart said La Boite secured eight years of funding through the National Performing Arts Partnership Program, which has positioned it well for its next 100 years.

“It cements our position as a major theater company and is an absolute celebration of all the efforts of every person who has come through this company,” she said.

Comans said La Boite’s longevity was due in part to the dedication of the three women who served as its first artistic directors: Sisley (1925–45), Babette Stevens (1957–69) and Jennifer Blocksage (1969–75).

“The first directors were all women, mainly because no one thought they would be paid! Those three women were very strong and gave it the start it really needed to continue,” she said.