What makes a great theatre?

Programming, people, acoustics, atmosphere or state of the art equipment: many elements make up a truly great theatre.

The Capitol Theatre, Sydney. Image via www.foundationtheatres.com.au.

Theatres across the country have their admirers and detractors. A building one person loves for its intimacy, another will decry for the lack of space in its wings. Some will point to the charm of gold rush-era adornments or the appeal of a resident ghost; others prefer state-of-the-art flexible seating arrangements.

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Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts