La Mama HQ, Melbourne, Bezoekersgids & wat te doen in de buurt

La Mama HQ is the Faraday Street base of La Mama, one of Melbourne's best-known independent theatre companies, in the inner-city suburb of Carlton. La Mama began in 1967 and became a cornerstone of new Australian writing for the stage. It is a small, unshowy place, and that is part of its appeal.

The story behind it

La Mama was founded in 1967 by Betty Burstall, who had seen the experimental theatre scene around the La MaMa club in New York and wanted something similar at home. She started a tiny venue in Carlton where new plays could be staged cheaply and writers could try out work in front of a real audience.

That spirit has lasted. La Mama is known for backing new Australian plays and emerging artists, and many people who went on to wider careers in Australian theatre and screen have connections to it. Today the company works from Faraday Street and also runs another Carlton venue, the La Mama Courthouse.

What to look for

• The modest street frontage on Faraday Street, which shows how small and personal this theatre is compared with Melbourne's grand city-centre venues.
• Posters and notices near the entrance, which give a quick idea of which new works are currently on.
• The Carlton streetscape around it, with older terrace houses and low-rise buildings that give the suburb its character.
• The mix of students, artists and locals passing through this part of Carlton, which keeps the neighbourhood lively.

Tips for your visit

• Allow about 10 to 15 minutes to see the outside and soak up the street, or plan an evening around a show if something appeals.
• Check current opening hours and the programme before you go, as the theatre is mainly active around performances.
• Lygon Street, with its cafes and restaurants, is a short walk away, so it is easy to combine this stop with a meal.
• The Carlton Gardens are also a short walk from here, which makes for a pleasant stroll before or after.

See it on a quest

You can reach La Mama HQ on foot as one stop on The Oz Escape in Melbourne, a self-guided quest through the city. The app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you, so a quick look at the theatre becomes a proper stop with a story. You start whenever you like, with no guide and no group to join, and one ticket covers the whole group.