17 November, 1800, South Africa’s first theatre, African Theatre, erected by public subscription, was opened here by Sir George Yonge.
The building was designed by Louis Thibault who installed oval bull’s eye windows below the roof, replicas of those in Petit Trianon in Versailles, where he had worked for its designer before leaving France
1838 building sold and transformed, during the week, into a school for children of former slaves, and a Sunday School and place of worship for former slaves on Sundays.
1842 became a Dutch Reformed Church for “coloureds” and former slaves.
The balcony and stage can still be seen