Plaza Theatre | Beau Bassin

Information

Landmark: Plaza Theatre
City: Beau Bassin
Country: Mauritius
Continent: Africa

Plaza Theatre, Beau Bassin, Mauritius, Africa

The Plaza Theatre is a municipal cultural complex situated in the heart of Rose Hill, Mauritius. It is located along the Royal Road, serving as the central architectural and social landmark of the Beau Bassin-Rose Hill township.

Visual Characteristics

The theatre is a prominent example of 20th-century colonial architecture, featuring a white masonry facade with symmetrical arched windows and a central clock tower. The interior auditorium follows a classic Italian horseshoe design with three tiers of wooden balconies, ornate plasterwork, and red velvet seating. The building's exterior is surrounded by a paved stone courtyard and formal gardens, while the structural roof is composed of pitched corrugated metal supported by a heavy timber frame.

Location & Access Logistics

The site is located at the intersection of Royal Road and Ambrose Street, approximately 10 kilometers south of Port Louis. It is directly adjacent to the Rose Hill Metro Express station and the central bus terminal, which serves as a major transit hub for the island. Public parking is available at the nearby Jules Koenig Square or in the municipal parking lots situated behind the Rose Hill Market.

Historical & Ecological Origin

Construction of the Plaza Theatre began in 1927 following a design competition won by French architect Jean-Ernest Mazuy. It was officially inaugurated in 1929 and was modeled after the Opéra de Paris to serve as a venue for opera, operetta, and classical drama. The theatre was part of a broader municipal project that included the adjacent Town Hall and a public library, established during the British colonial administration of the island.

Key Highlights & Activities

The complex hosts theatrical performances, concerts, and national cultural festivals in its main hall. The site also contains the Max Boullé Art Gallery, which features rotating exhibitions of Mauritian contemporary art. Public walking tours of the historic facade and the "Square Raymond Chasle" gardens are common, and the venue serves as the primary location for municipal civic ceremonies.

Infrastructure & Amenities

The facility includes a public library, municipal offices, and an art gallery. Public restrooms are located in the adjacent municipal wing, and shaded seating is provided by the arcades of the building and the trees in the surrounding plaza. 4G and 5G cellular coverage is consistently strong throughout the urban center. Food vendors and pharmacies are located within 100 meters at the Rose Hill Market and along Royal Road.

Best Time to Visit

The exterior and gardens are best photographed in the early morning to capture the sunlight on the white facade without urban traffic congestion. For indoor viewing, the venue is accessible during scheduled performance times or during the library's operating hours (09:00–16:00, Monday to Friday). The cooler months of May to September are preferred for outdoor visits to the plaza.

Facts & Legends

The Plaza Theatre is the largest theatre in the Mascarene Islands and was considered the "Comédie Française" of the Indian Ocean during the mid-20th century. A local historical oddity is that the theatre's original stage curtain and some interior fittings were imported directly from France to ensure the acoustics mirrored European opera houses of the era.