The former Q Theatre is a coursed rubble building with brick quoins at openings and corners, timber floors and a corrugated iron hip and gable roof. It contains a single storey hall at the rear with a second storey addition at the front of the building facing Halifax Street. The corner portion of the roof projects with a gable containing a central pointed arch window. Its facade is asymmetrical with simple details including brickwork bands at window sills and heads and at eaves and plinth. The building’s interior has been altered but is still easily recognisable with some detailing remaining.

The former Q Theatre building was originally built as a Sunday School for the Stow Memorial Church in Flinders Street in 1878. The Stow Church’s Sunday School had used other premises until class numbers began to grow in the 1870s. In 1876 the Church bought this land in Halifax Street and a building was erected and opened in 1878. Numbers continued to rise and the School was enlarged during 1882 with the addition of the front two storeyed section. The success of the School was attributed to Lawrence Grayson, Superintendent of the Sunday School for over 40 years. The Sunday School reached a peak attendance of 477 children with 23 teachers in 1890. The School provided spiritual and social support for its members including Bible classes, a library, Fife and Drum Band, floral displays, a girls’ club, social evenings, an annual picnic and other entertainments such as singing, acting, and lantern slides.

After the turn of the century numbers started to decline and the building became important as a mission centre. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, it became a distribution centre for clothing and food. By the end of WW2, these activities had ceased. From this period to 1970 the building had a variety of uses. In April 1970, it became a repertory theatre known as the Q Theatre operated by local actors Don and Betty Quinn. The aim of the amateur theatre was to produce Australian plays. Productions continued for over a decade with workshops conducted to encourage writers, actors and stage technicians. In the early 1980s, economic conditions forced the closure of the building. For a period in c.1990, the building was re-opened and re-used as the John Edmund Theatre. The varied history of this building is associated with two main themes; institutional buildings of the late nineteenth century and theatres in the mid twentieth century. It is associated with the Congregational Church in SA and some of its members. It is also associated with theatre history in Adelaide.

The exterior of the building is generally in good condition, although the building is currently unused. Paint has been removed from the brickwork and the northern face of the building was repointed and re-lined probably at the same time. It would appear that a new plastic damp proofing membrane has been inserted in the eastern face of the building at least in addition to partial repointing on this face. Externally, the building is largely intact with a few alterations to the rear of the building. Openings have been opened, closed and converted and part of the wall rendered. The interior has been modified. (9 June 1999)

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