Everyone seems to be under the impression that you have to migrate into the city for a great night out at the theatre, but with a large number of wonderful theatre companies now calling the suburbs home, that excellent evening out is more convenient than ever.
Running in Melbourne’s western suburbs for the past nine years, Wit Incorporated have staged more than twenty productions for local audiences and (among other things) run popular holiday programmes for children and Sunday Creative Workshops for adults.
Their latest season is the Australian premiere of Stan Lai’s 'I ME SHE HIM | 你和我和她和他', running in November and December across two venues – the Bluestone Church Arts Space in Footscray, and The Bowery Theatre in St Albans.
'I ME SHE HIM | 你和我和她和他' centres on a meeting between a slick Taiwanese executive and a CEO, to discuss a merger between their companies. . . But just as negotiations begin, two strangers unexpectedly arrive and force the high rollers to confront a passionate, painful past.
It is performed by Enoch Li, Lansy Feng, Berlin Lu, Angel Xiao, Rebekah Lin, William Xu, James Lau and Eldon Huang.
Being experts on the subject of local theatre, here, the folks at Wit Incorporated offer the top five reasons that enjoying some fantastic live theatre closer to home makes for a superb night out.
One
Because of the wonderful variety of amazing restaurants located in the suburbs, dining out before a show is a true treat. For example, near the Bluestone Church Arts Space we’re performing in in Footscray, you’ll find some of the best Ethiopian restaurants in Melbourne, like Ras Dashen Ethiopian Restaurant, Abesha, and Queen Of Sheba. And the selection of Vietnamese cuisine on offer in St Albans is legendary!Two
Experiencing live theatre out of the city is faster and cheaper than heading into the city. Travelling into the city on public transport or driving in at any time is stressful and time consuming. Not to mention the cost of parking. Local arts can be accessed sometimes by just walking from home to the venue (!) and parking and public transport options are often way more streamlined and cheaper.Three
Seeing work by local, suburban theatre companies is supporting your local arts scene, which is incredibly important. It creates a thriving arts culture in our suburbs that add to our communities and can garner greater support from local councils.Four
Don’t dismiss live theatre closer to home, in less prolific arts venues, as lacking in quality or ingenuity. Some of the greatest and biggest artists and arts makers of our times started their journey in local theatre productions, and some of the most well-known playwrights in the world have gone on record to say to say they love watching productions of their shows done by local theatre companies. The city isn’t the only place you’ll find great live theatre.Five
Don’t forget all the local attractions readily available around you after your night of seeing some local theatre, too. The night doesn’t need to end there! Local cafés for a late-night hot chocolate, ice-creameries on a balmy summer night. A cosy bar for a glass of wine or a Christmas Lights trail mapped out by the local council. Depending on what time of the year (or night of the week) you head out, there could be myriad events and venues still up and running for you to sample.'I ME SHE HIM | 你和我和她和他' plays Bluestone Church Arts Space (Footscray) 22-25 November and The Bowery Theatre (St Albans) 1-2 December.
