Live Music / Performance

The Princess Theatre

📍 Woolloongabba · 8 Annerley Rd, Woolloongabba QLD 4102, Australia

The Princess Theatre feels like Brisbane discovered a hidden piece of its own history and somehow managed not to demolish it. Sitting on the edge of Woolloongabba, the heritage-listed venue has watched Brisbane evolve for more than a century. Long before Fortitude Valley became the city's entertainment hub, before the Story Bridge existed, and before Brisbane had established itself as a major touring destination, The Princess was already hosting audiences. Originally opening in 1888, the building has lived more lives than almost any venue in Queensland. It has operated as a theatre, cinema, public hall, factory, workshop and church before eventually returning to its original purpose as a live performance venue. The fact that it survived at all is remarkable in a city that has lost so many of its historic entertainment landmarks. What makes The Princess special isn't simply its age — it's the way the restoration embraced the building's character rather than erasing it. Walking inside, you're immediately aware that this is a venue with history. The timberwork, high ceilings, heritage features and intimate layout create an atmosphere that feels authentic rather than manufactured. Since reopening under the team behind The Tivoli, The Princess has quickly established itself as one of Brisbane's premier mid-sized venues. The room strikes a rare balance between scale and intimacy. Large enough to attract major national and international acts, yet small enough that every performance still feels personal. The venue hosts a diverse mix of concerts, comedy shows, orchestral performances, theatre productions and cultural events, making it one of the most versatile performance spaces in Queensland. On any given week, the stage might host an indie rock band, a comedy festival headliner, a classical ensemble or a contemporary theatre production. Unlike venues located in the heart of Fortitude Valley, The Princess offers a completely different experience. There are no nightclub queues, no late-night crowds spilling across Brunswick Street and no overwhelming entertainment precinct competing for attention. Instead, the venue feels like a destination in its own right — somewhere people deliberately travel to experience. As Brisbane continues to grow, The Princess Theatre stands as proof that not every piece of the city's history needs to be replaced to remain relevant. It successfully blends heritage, culture and modern entertainment into one of Brisbane's most unique live performance venues. For many locals, The Princess isn't just another theatre. It's a reminder of the Brisbane that existed before glass towers and apartment developments — and evidence that some of the city's best venues are the ones that have already stood the test of time.