Universal Cinema

Melbourne barrister John Weller founded the Universal Workshop during the mid-1970’s at 13 Victoria Street, Fitzroy. The Universal Workshop (a converted warehouse/dairy?) had a live avant garde theatre, a cinema, and television facilities that helped stimulate the growth of theatre restaurants and experimental theatre in Melbourne. Three years later he sold the theatre seeking a different lifestyle. The workshop continued under new management, while the cinema screened a mixture of move-overs, repertory and art-house first runs. The cinema closed in the early-1980’s, while live shows continued into the 1990’s.

Today the building houses a bookshop (the Bakery P/L) and the (Universal Theatre Apartments). The building was architecturally renovated in 2008 to accommodate 17 one and two bedroom apartments.

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