Loubser Hall

The Little Theatre is a small theatre venue located in Gqeberha's city centre.

Originally known as the Loubser Hall and later as the Ford Little Theatre.

Often referred to as PEMADS Little Theatre (PEMADS is the Port Elizabeth Musical and Dramatic Society which was based at the venue for many years.

History

PEMADS Little Theatre

The Port Elizabeth Musical and Dramatic Society was founded in the basement of the Port Elizabeth City Hall in October 1945, when a group of musical theatre enthusiasts decided to present shows away from the Savoy operettas. The name quickly became abbreviated to PEMADS and has been known as such ever since.

Their first production was Peter Blackmore’s The Blue Goose.

The Little Theatre, originally known as the Loubser Hall, was opened on April 17, 1901, and formed part of the Athenaeum Club. It was named after Matthew Michael Loubser, who was born in the Cape on July 25, 1846. He "fathered" the Athenaem Club, which in its day was was a great centre of social life, sport and entertainment. He was actively involved with the Gymnastic Club, Eastern Province Cricket Union, Port Elizabeth Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club and the Crusaders Football Club. Loubser was also president of the Port Elizabeth Agricultural Society. He died in Oberhof, Germany, on June 29, 1914.

Harold Davidson was instrumental in obtaining the use of this hall for rehearsal purposes. After PEMADS members and directors got used to their new home, productions began.

Conditions were primitive. Back-stage storage space was non-existent, lighting was barely adequate, and if you had a large cast, conditions became chaotic.

After the facilities were improved the new dressing rooms were considered "no fun" as the team feeling of doing all that costume changing with just a sheet on a line separating the boys from the girls, was gone.

Also referred to as the Pemads Little Theatre, after the Port Elizabeth Musical and Dramatic Society (PEMADS), the society that built and owns it.

Contains the Noel Morgan Auditorium.

Among the other local groups using it are the Port Elizabeth Afrikaanse Amateur Toneelvereniging (PEAAT).