Located in Hobart’s central business district, the Playhouse Theatre is a heritage-listed building originally built in 1863 as a chapel. It then became a cinema, before being acquired for the Repertory Theatre Company. The company’s opening drama in their new home was Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. The company is run by enthusiastic volunteers who dedicate hours to the pursuit of great theater.
The building’s Italian design and interior murals add to the atmosphere of this stunning venue, which stages works by playwrights such as J.M Barrie (of Peter Pan fame), Agatha Christie, Oscar Wilde, Noel Coward and Bernard Shaw.
If you’re visiting Hobart in August, don’t miss oneFest, an annual one-act play festival. Aspiring playwrights are encouraged to get involved. The Playhouse is also a repository for more than 2,000 scripts, providing a valuable resource for directors and playwrights.
Before or after a show, explore the many restaurants, pubs and bars in the area around the theater. Sample beer from the nearby Cascade Brewery or Tasmania’s other boutique beer companies. Many of the old pubs have fireplaces, which create a cozy retreat from the chilly Hobart air in autumn and winter.
The Playhouse is quite popular, and has limited seating, so it’s a good idea to book ahead to ensure you get a ticket. This is a self-funding theatre, meaning the cost of your ticket goes back into building restoration and production costs.
