Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Guia do visitante e o que fazer por perto

Malthouse Theatre is a contemporary performing arts company and venue at 111 Sturt Street in Southbank, Melbourne. It occupies a converted industrial building that was originally a malthouse, and it is known for staging new and adventurous Australian work. For a visitor, it is a good example of how Melbourne has turned old working buildings into places for culture.

The story behind it

The building began life as a malthouse, part of the brewing industry that once shaped this side of the Yarra. Malting is the step where grain is prepared for beer, so the structure was made for work, not for audiences. When the area was redeveloped as an arts precinct, the building was given a second life as a theatre.

The company that performs here started out under the name Playbox and moved into the converted building at the start of the 1990s. It took the name Malthouse Theatre in the early 2000s, after the building itself. Today it runs more than one stage under one roof, and it has a reputation for new plays and bold, sometimes unsettling productions.

What to look for

• Look at the exterior of the building and notice how its industrial character has been kept, rather than hidden behind a modern theatre front.
• Check the posters and signage near the entrance, which show what is currently on and give a feel for the company's taste in new work.
• Notice the contrast between the working-building architecture and the newer cultural buildings around it in the Southbank arts area.
• Stand back on Sturt Street to take in the whole frontage and see how it sits among its neighbours.

Tips for your visit

• Allow about 15 to 20 minutes if you only want to see the building from outside and take photos.
• You can look at the exterior from the street at any time. To go inside, you generally need to attend a performance or event, so check current listings.
• Late afternoon is pleasant for a stroll, and it is a natural stop before an evening show.
• The theatre is close to other arts venues and the Yarra riverside, so it combines easily with a longer walk around Southbank.

See it on a quest

The quest Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Southbank, Melbourne takes you through this part of the city on foot, with the theatre as one stop on a longer route. As you reach each place, the app tells you about it, then sets a puzzle based on what is in front of you. It suits a murder-mystery mood, and it gives you a reason to look closely at buildings you might otherwise walk past. You can start whenever you like, with no guide and no group to join, and one ticket covers the whole group.