Forum Theatre
The Forum Theatre (originally the State Theatre) is a historic theatre and former cinema now used as a live music and event venue located on the corner of Flinders Street and Russell Street in Melbourne, Australia.
| Former names | State Theatre (1920-1962) |
|---|---|
| Address | 154 Flinders Street Melbourne Australia |
| Coordinates | 37.8165732°S 144.9693686°E |
| Owner | Marriner Group |
| Designation | Victorian Heritage Register, Historic Buildings Register |
| Capacity | 2000 standing (Forum 1), 520 seated (Forum 2) |
| Current use | live music, comedy, film |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1929 |
| Years active | 1929–1985, 1995–present |
| Architect | John Eberson |
| Website | |
| forummelbourne | |
Built in 1929, it was designed by leading US ‘picture palace’ architect John Eberson, in association with the local architectural firm Bohringer, Taylor & Johnson. Designed as an "Atmospheric theatre", the interior intended to evoke a Florentine walled garden, complete with a cerulean-blue ceiling sprinkled with lights like twinkling stars, mimicking a twilight sky.
It was renamed the Forum Theatre in 1962, converted into two separate cinemas in 1963, then after the cinemas' closure used for religious services for several years; however, since 1995, it has operated as live music and events venue Forum Melbourne, more commonly known simply as The Forum.