Discusses theatres, past and present, amateur and professional, in Canberra. The author argues that Australia's national capital is informed by a 'valorisation of the visual arts over theatre', and within the performing arts themselves, 'amateur theatre appears to dominate and professional performance appears to be marginalised'. 'In order to understand why professional theatre has been relegated to the fringes of Canberra's culture, I provide historical and political explanations' (159).