Arts Centre Melbourne has officially revealed its new performance space, The Show Room – an intimate 150 seat studio theatre that will provide audiences the opportunity to experience ground-breaking theatre, music and dance performances up close.
The Show Room program will feature productions from both independent artists and established arts institutions, including provocative new works from acclaimed theatre creators Van Badham, Gary Abrahams and Kristen Smyth alongside the much-anticipated return of Wang Chong.
The Show Room will also present collaborations with and productions from The Australian Ballet, Arts Access Victoria and Melbourne Fringe throughout the rest of 2024. The creation of The Show Room represents the Arts Centre Melbourne team at its most creative as the organisation goes through a period of redevelopment.
“While the State Theatre undergoes refurbishment until 2027, we saw an opportunity to transform the existing State Theatre Rehearsal Room into a more intimate performance space, along with a year-round program” said Arts Centre Melbourne’s Director of Programming, Stephen Armstrong.
“Without The Show Room we wouldn’t be able to present performances that have the potential to truly capture audiences in such an intimate space. The curated, site-specific program allows us to engage with the broader Victorian and international performing arts communities in completely new ways.”
“Alongside our existing venues – Hamer Hall, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, the Fairfax Studio and the Playhouse – The Show Room brings a new dimension to both our existing relationships within the arts community as well as giving us the chance to work with artists and organisations that deserve the spotlight we can offer as Victoria’s flagship performing arts venue.”
“The Show Room’s 2024 program includes productions that are of exceptional quality, from a multitude of genres and created by some remarkable artists. We couldn’t be more delighted to debut The Show Room this week and see how the space is shaped as we gain momentum into 2025,” said Armstrong.
THE SHOW ROOM 2024 PROGRAM:
The Show Room’s premiere work Little Murmur, an international contemporary dance production from Aakash Odedra and Lewis Major, opens later this week, playing from 27 July – 4 August. The stage adaption of beloved children’s book Grug is on stage from 11 – 15 September. As part of the Alter State initiative, the acclaimed Restless Dance Theatre’s Private View will play from 2 – 6 October.
On stage from 16 – 26 October is a powerful new collaboration between genre-busting writer, Van Badham (QAnon And On) and lauded director Gary Abrahams (Yentl). Werewolf is an alarmingly prescient stage drama about the Melbourne of now. Developed and presented in a collaboration between Arts Centre Melbourne and Melbourne Fringe, Werewolf is a journey into the volatile politics of modern extremism, inspired by the chilling aesthetics of old Hollywood horror.
The Australian Ballet’s Bodytorque – a collective showcase of contemporary dance works will be staged from 28 October – 3 November. Established in 2004, this choreographic development program supports emerging talent within and beyond The Australian Ballet’s dancing ranks, including notable alumni Alice Topp and Tim Harbour, who have gone on to become resident choreographers with the Company.
Recognised around the world as one of Beijing’s most significant theatre directors and celebrated for his visionary experiments with classic and contemporary plays, Wang Chong ?? (The Warfare of Landmine 2.0) returns to Arts Centre Melbourne with Made in China 2.0 from 6 – 16 November. In this solo performance, Wang Chong ?? takes audiences on a journey deep inside his personal experiences and is a moving examination of the role of the artist and provocateur in uncertain times.
Powerful, and daringly revolutionary, Cruel Britannia: After Frankenstein is a queer reimagining of Mary Shelley’s classic novel from transgender playwright and performer Kristen Smyth (The Gospel According to Jesus, Queen of Heaven). Playing from 20 – 30 November the work is a gritty exploration of Thatcher’s dystopian Britain: a monstrous, chaos-ridden world of gothic proportions. Smyth’s debut solo theatre show is set to premiere at Edinburgh Fringe before its Australian debut at The Show Room.
Whilst the State Theatre undergoes refurbishment till 2027, Arts Centre Melbourne remains open and audiences will still be able to enjoy performances and events in the Fairfax Studio, the Playhouse, Hamer Hall, Sidney Myer Music Bowl and The Show Room.
Early bird discount tickets for performances of Werewolf, Made in China 2.0 and Cruel Britannia: After Frankenstein are available until 11.00am – Friday 26 July. For more information about The Show Room, visit: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au for details.
Images: The Show Room – photo by Marie-Luise-Skibbe | Little Murmur – photo by Pamela Raith