Malthouse’s big comeback

By Meg Hill

After months of closure Southbank’s Malthouse Theatre has released a multidisciplinary artistic and cultural program for the New Year, launching a new outdoor stage with the help of several high-profile partners.

In an announcement in early December, the Malthouse Theatre said the outdoor stage would reinvigorate Melbourne’s cultural scene by providing vital opportunities for artists and art workers, and create new cultural experiences that encourage visitors to return to the Arts Precinct.

A program of live music beginning in January features local artists Mildlife (main featured image), RVG, Kaiit and Emma Donovan & The Putbacks, while streams of other events – including comedy, talks, cabaret, theatre and workshops – have been curated with the help of partners including the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Midsumma, YIRRAMBOI and the Wheeler Centre.

The comedy program features Lano & Woodley, Eddie Perfect, Anne Edmonds, Lloyd Langford, Judith Lucy and Denise Scott.

The space will also be shared with the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) and dance company Chunky Move.

Malthouse Theatre co-CEO and executive producer Sarah Neal said the creation of the outdoor stage was vital.

“The Malthouse Outdoor Stage will be a vital way for our company to extend performance opportunities to the precinct and the wider sector, and importantly, for Malthouse Theatre to reopen earlier than is possible for indoor performances,” she said.

“We are immensely grateful to our supporters, the Sidney Myer Fund, the state government and to the Federal Office of the Arts for their support of this new performance hub.”

The Malthouse said the construction of the stage and seating – which has a capacity of up to 312 – was made possible by the Sidney Myer Fund. The state government’s contribution will provide greater weather and hospitality amenity – which would allow for programming opportunities beyond the summer season and “establish the stage as an exciting new part of Melbourne’s cultural calendar”.

Malthouse Theatre will seek to program new works for the stage in late 2021 through the support of the Federal Office of the Arts RISE fund.

Andrew Myer AM, Sidney Myer Fund chair, said the fund was “thrilled” by the prospect of supporting the initiative.

“The Malthouse Outdoor Stage will reactivate Melbourne and provide vital opportunities for artists in an exciting new space. It will be a landmark performance hub for Melburnians to enjoy live performance under the stars in our city’s centre,” he said.

Minister for Creative Industries Danny Pearson said the initiative was an example of the state government supporting the creative sector in adapting and getting back to work.

The stage will open on January 22, tickets became available to the general public on December 7. The full summer lineup will be announced in January •

malthousetheatre.com.au