Universal Theatre

{{Short description|Australian theatre}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

The Universal Theatre was a theatre at 13 Victoria Street, Fitzroy in Melbourne, Australia which operated from the late 1970s to the late 1990s.{{Cite news|date=17 January 1980|title=A grab-bag of music, theatre|work=The Age|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XO5UAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lpIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2992%2C626006|access-date=22 November 2020}}

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.{{Cite web|date=1990-08-24|title=RAISING THE ROOF WITH SHINGLES|url=https://www.afr.com/companies/raising-the-roof-with-shingles-19900824-kan8e|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Australian Financial Review|language=en}}

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.{{Cite news|last=Perkin|first=Corrie|date=14 August 1980|title=Torn from home|work=The Age|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=c-BUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1ZIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3688%2C6488585|access-date=22 November 2020}} The theatre gained an early reputation for lively alternative performance including theatre, visual theatre, music and comedy.{{Cite news|last=Radic|first=Leonard|date=22 July 1983|title=Echoes within 'Echoes' at the Universal|work=The Age|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7wJVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LJQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5530%2C2890100}}

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.{{Cite news|last=Lopez|first=Elisabeth|date=22 December 1989|title=People are flocking back to the city theatre fringe|work=The Age|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eCNVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=n5EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3125%2C4769761|access-date=22 November 2020}}

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