A Look Inside The Revamped Forum Theatre
The iconic venue on the corner of Russell and Flinders Street has had a little bit of a facelift.
Turns out it's not just you who's had a spring cut and colour recently. The Forum Theatre in Melbourne has had a bit of a makeover too. Emerging from a whole year's worth of renovations, the theatre on the corner of Flinders and Russell Streets is now looking fancy fresh – or as fancy fresh as a heritage-listed building can.
The building is owned by the Marriner Group, who also own the Princess, Regent and Comedy Theatres. But the Forum is arguably their most unique venue, with its Greek/Roman statues dotted here and there, and starry night sky feature inside. First opening in 1929 and long the site of gigs, comedy shows and your late night selfies with the statues, its eccentric vibes have been maintained, but plenty else has changed.
That carpet you've been treading your grubby boots over for years in the entrance foyer has been lifted, revealing a tiled mosaic made up of 200,000 tiles. There's also three new bars, a marble staircase, and new booths throughout the theatre. Adjustable-height flooring and a car-accommodating elevator will make the whole shebang more versatile, and a little more James Bond-y.
Bands out there will also be happy to hear there are new green rooms, lighting and sound situations, and hungry people will be chuffed with the addition of catering services now offered at the venue.
Jason Marriner, CEO and co-owner of Marriner Group, says it's all been a long time coming.
"The Forum renovation is 21 years in the making," said Marriner. "Having lived and experienced the space for a long time, when it came to undertaking the work we knew exactly what we wanted to achieve."
Ultimately, it's still the venue you know and love. But you'll certainly notice the floor a little more on your way out.
