Divine Playhouse Served Breach Notice Amid Christian Protests Over Former Church Venue

Divine Playhouse has been served a breach notice for its lease of a former church on Kent Street in Sydney.

Divine Playhouse opened last Wednesday on July 8 at a former Catholic church to protests from right-wing Christian groups.

The venue, run by Kat Dopper who founded Heaps Gay (HG Events), had changed its name from Unholy Playhouse to Divine Playhouse after conversations with Christian groups before opening.

At the time, Dopper said she, and the owners of the 420 Kent Street venue, were happy with the changes made to the name.

“The owners and I are happy with where it’s landed and I hope the people upset can see this is a positive art project and venue, and there is no hate or mockery. The space has been a theatre for 80 years and has not been a church for 100 years,” she said.

However, she was later sent a breach notice, seen by Gay Sydney Daily on July 9, stating that the owners had “become aware that HG Events has carried on, and continues to carry on, trade that (on any view) is offensive.”

The notice continued by saying Divine Playhouse had become the subject of significant protest and public criticism that “insulted and mocked the sincerely held religious beliefs of millions of Christian Australians.”

The owners, identified in the notice, are KCSYD, which according to ASIC documents is run by Anthony Charble El-Hazouri and Charbel John Hazzouri.

The pair debuted on the AFR Rich List in 2026 and are the developers behind commercial property platform Revelop; they were not available for comment.

They gave Kat and HG Events until 10am on Saturday, July 11, to cease “carrying on offensive trade” or the owners would terminate the lease and repossess the premises.

At least two events were meant to be held at Divine Playhouse over the weekend, AM/PM’s Emo Night and Unholy Mess, both of which were postponed.

“We are still working through the details, but we do know that it won’t be possible to host our event this weekend. Our full support is behind the venue team, who have worked tirelessly for months to bring this space to life; this is out of their control,” said AMPM.

Meanwhile, ticket holders for Unholy Mess were told the Sunday brunch would be rescheduled and moved to Sunday, July 19, but there is currently no event rescheduled on Divine Playhouse’s Humanitix ticketing page.

AM/PM’s Emo Night, however, has been tentatively rescheduled for later in the year.

Divine Playhouse’s Meta accounts, as well as those of Kat Dopper and Heaps Gay, have also been shut down, reportedly at the hands of Meta due to complaints made against the brands.

Other events at Divine Playhouse are still selling tickets on Humanitix, with Protestors pledging to be there on Friday 17th July to speak out against them.

The protestors include members of Fit for the Kingdom and The Prodigal Sons, with many Christian influencers amongst their ranks.

One such protestor, Liam Aquilina, who has reposted The Prodigal Sons on Instagram, was on 2GB on Tuesday morning telling Ben Fordham that he believed the venue should be shut down.

“We understand that the church has been sold off, we understand the church has been deconsecrated and is no longer in Catholic use, that’s not the point,” he said.

“The point is that these people have hired a venue that is an ex-Catholic church to have a completely and entirely themed almost-Catholic nightclub. This is why we’re upset. I’ve never seen such a concentration of mockery of our Catholic faith.”

Aquilina, who fashions himself as a Christian influencer, follows on Instagram a number of right-wing Christians voices.

These include ultra-traditionalist commentator Taylor Marshall, who has faced criticism for promoting Vatican conspiracy theories, including the claim that a secret cabal of liberal cardinals conspired to steer the Church toward progressive ideologies.

Aquilina also follows three separate accounts linked to the Society of St Pius X, a breakaway traditionalist movement whose followers were recently excommunicated by the Vatican at the direction of Pope Leo.

There are also some other interesting follows from the most vocal protestors against Divine Playhouse, including frequent reposts by The Prodigal Sons of Conor McGregor, who was found civilly liable for rape.

Charlie Bakhos, who has taken to Instagram to call for Divine Playhouse to shut down, is one of the founders of Christian Lives Matter, which has been involved in a number of protests against the LGBTQIA+ community, including during WorldPride. 

Despite the protestors, many in the industry are supportive of Dopper, with Vice-Chair of the Night Time Industries Association James Thorpe saying what was happening to Divine Playhouse was deeply concerning.

“Groups campaigning against Divine Playhouse have celebrated Israel Folau after he told homosexuals that hell awaits us, cheered attacks on Pride symbols, and called queer culture perverted,” he wrote on social media.

“I find those views offensive. But I have never demanded church doors be closed, or that religious organisations lose the tax concessions and public support that help sustain their enormous platforms.”

Thorpe continued, saying offence cannot become a mechanism for eviction because “if it can, every artist who challenges power, every comedian who mocks a sacred cow, and every queer space that refuses to be polite and palatable is vulnerable.”

The Greens have also publicly defended the venue, with music and arts spokesperson Cate Faehrmann saying it was time for the Arts Minister John Graham to show some leadership. 

“”He should make it clear that the government will stand with artists, venue operators and Sydney’s queer community, not with those trying to shut them down,” she said.  

“The message to Divine Playhouse, its staff, performers and patrons should be simple: we support you, we welcome you, and you have every right to exist and thrive in our city.”