Social Theatre
The most ancient document referring to a theatrical performance in Portogruaro dates back to1622; we also know that during the 18th century performances were held, probably during the carnival period, in a hall within the palazzo of either the “podestà” or the “Praetorian”, equipped with stage and stalls. Only in the last years of the 18th century was a committee established to promote the construction of a real theatre. After locating the site and demolishing a crumbling building, the palazzo, designed by the architect Medura, and thanks to the funds raised through the advance sale of the theatre boxes to the subscriber members, was realized. After restoration-restructuring work during the years 1913-14, through a project by Engineer Piero Bon, performances went on for the entire first half of the 20th century, in particular, operatic. Unfortunately, today the town can no longer boast such a wonderful piece of Venetian style jewellery: at the end of the Fifties the theatre was converted into a cinema and the boxes were consequently taken away. Today only the façade remains, of neo-classical framework, a reminder of the significant circumstances of the town’s Social Theatre.