Universal Theatre

The Universal Theatre was a theatre at 13 Victoria Street, Fitzroy in Melbourne, Australia which operated from the late 1970s to the late 1990s.^[1]

It was established as part of the Universal Workshop in the mid-1970s by colourful barrister John Weller. The Universal Workshop was a former factory containing the theatre, a cinema and studios.^[2]

The Universal Theatre opened as a professional venue in May 1979 with Robyn Archer's cabaret A Star is Torn, which played for five weeks.^[3] The theatre gained an early reputation for lively alternative performance including theatre, visual theatre, music and comedy.^[4]

During the 1980s, the 320-seat theatre and small cinema were converted into a 450-seat main theatre and the 150-seat Universal 2. Long-running productions included Wogs Out of Work and Torch Song Trilogy.^[5]

The building was redeveloped into apartments in the mid-2000s.