fortyfivedownstairs
45 Flinders Lane
Melbourne 3000
fortyfivedownstairs was established to provide an affordable and supportive
inner city venue for theatre performances, music and exhibitions by a wide
range of artists: to show work of excellence to local, interstate and overseas
audiences.
fortyfivedownstairs aims to:
- present quality productions of new and classic theatre,
- encourage innovation, new ideas and hybrid art forms,
- give an opportunity to show work in development,
- provide opportunities for artists not represented by commercial galleries to exhibit in an inner city gallery.
fortyfivedownstairs also presents debates and discussions on a wide range of
contemporary issues and ideas.
It is a non-profit tax deductible incorporated association, under the artistic
direction of Mary Lou Jelbart, writer, broadcaster and reviewer.
The Board is chaired by Julian Burnside QC, and the Treasurer is well known
specialist arts accountant Tom Lowenstein.
history
fortyfivedownstairs was set up in 2002 to present visual arts exhibitions,
theatre, forums, music and dance events. Since then it has become a
significant part of the Melbourne cultural scene, described by The Age as
"a cultural powerhouse".
In 2004, Melbourne's leading theatre critics nominated four productions
as their top choices for the year. In 2005, Ariette Taylor's production
of Ivanov by Anton Chekov had superlative reviews and a sell out season.
Moira Finucane's Burlesque Hour, which premiered in the same year, was
performed in the U.K. and Europe and the four week return season in 2007
was a smash hit.
Petty Traffikers adaptations of classic Australian writing by C.J.Dennis
and Henry Lawson have provided some of our most touching theatre moments
and resulted in their being picked up for regional tours. We have also
hosted seasons of outstanding new works by the Presnyakov Brothers and
Roland Schimelpfennig by Theatre at Risk and rarely staged productions
of works by Harold Pinter and Frank Wedekind.