Venue: Kaaitheater
Town: Brussels, BE

The Kaaitheater, is a theatre located in Brussels, Belgium, housing a theatre and cultural institutions. It occupies a block between the Quai des Péniches/Akenkaai and Quai de Willebroeck/Willebroekkaai, with its main entrance on the Square Sainctelette/Sainctelettesquare. The theatre is located next to and connected with the former Citroën Garage, forming part of the continuous urban block. The complex includes two buildings, one with apartments and a café and the other a theatre hall. It was designed by architect Marcel Driesmans and constructed between 1929 and 1931 in a modernist and Art Deco style. It takes its original name from the Luna amusement park that once stood on the site. The theatre opened in 1932 and after several transformations and renovations was renamed Kaaitheater in 2001. The site between Quai des Péniches and Quai de Willebroeck was originally home to a short-lived amusement park that operated between 1913 and the First World War. The park included roller coasters, a magic river, a waterfall, and a 1,000-seat hall where the Ballets Russes, featuring Nijinski, performed. In 1929, plans for a theatre complex were drawn up by a company named Luna Park, in reference to the former amusement park. Excavation and foundation works began the same year but were halted due to the economic crisis. Final plans were submitted in late 1931, and the theatre opened on 7 October 1932 after rapid construction. The hall featured the largest stage in Belgium at the time, a wide balcony, décor in light brown and mocha tones, imitation wood, seating with futuristic motifs, and a light organ, all designed by interior architect Huber Driesmans. After the early death of director Ernest Kindermans, the theatre, intended for Flemish operetta, ceased activities in 1934. It was subsequently used as a variety theatre, cinema, and music hall. In 1938, plans were submitted to convert the venue, then named L’Empire, into a greyhound racing track, although this usage was short