Arts House

There is always a very diverse range of events featured at North Melbourne ArtsHouse which is fabulous and not just during Fringe Festival. This year they are hosting the Festival Hub and each night there’s something completely crazy and unusual on. We love seeing dance, theatre, cabaret and spoken word at ArtsHouse.

Pretty good for gigs and comedy festival shows, and the like… Nice and close to the tram stop so it’s super convenient to get to from the city after work.

The North Melbourne Arts House is home to a number of small theatres and performance spaces that are used for various festivals, including: the Melbourne Arts Festival, the Fringe Festival, the Comedy Festival, etc.
There’s a paired back, no-​frills intimacy about these performance spaces that give them the potential for a really immersive experience (because the closeness to the stage gives you the sense that you are literally inside the performance space). That can be a blessing or a curse, depending on the quality of the performance that you’re watching. On two occasions, I’ve had to endure some seriously agonising performances (one with a comedian who had a penchant for audience interaction, and another watching the most painful piece of theatre imaginable — in a non-​cathartic way).
But that’s not to say that the Arts House doesn’t exhibit quality work. On the contrary, it seems to have a constant supply of really interesting programs on offer, showcasing some highly impressive talent from home and abroad.