The Melba Spiegeltent

Went to see Matador at The Melba Spiegeltent in Johnston Street Collingwood (near Wellington Street) on the second night after the opening. Wow. Just Wow. As this isn't the platform to review the performance and more about the venue, all I'll say is that Matador was brilliant and a must see. Will review that elsewhere. Now down to the venue. The tent itself was originally built in Belgium around 1910 and has itself quite a bit of history holding performances across Europe with well-known artists such as Edith Piaf and Kurt Weil. Around 2006 the tent arrived in Australia and this one was renamed after our very own famous opera singer, Dame Nellie Melba. Although located on Johnston Street, it is set just back behind a large building which is also where Circus Oz is located. Approaching the tent, you know it's going to be something different. It's not imposing or ostentatious, but rather there is something alluring and intriguing about the tent. Old world, magnetic and inviting. There was a nice food van on site which sold tasty snacks for those who were still hungry before the performance. Inside is a bar that you could get yourself any sort of refreshment and at $9 for a glass of wine, probably at standard prices. The bar staff were lovely, chatty but also very helpful. The tent is half stage/backstage and the rest is seating in a semi-circle. On the outer part of the tent are booths that hold 6 - 8 people. You are welcome to take your drinks to your seat to watch the performance. It was a warm night when I was there but the temperature inside was perfect, not too hot or cold and considering the tent holds probably 150 people plus the performers, it was nice not to be sweating indoors. The ambience inside is lovely - just ideal. It's an invitation to chat with other people due to the close proximity of the chairs. It has a casual vibe but also a little bit funky and fun. This all leads up to the anticipation of what the performance will be like. The tent itself attracts such a wonderfully diverse range of talented people from comedy to the theatre, live music to cabaret, burlesque to the circus and so much more. This breadth of entertainment makes it even more appealing as there is something for everyone. There are toilets on site which are wheelchair friendly. Car parking around Collingwood can come with challenges so please check you have enough time to find one. Overall, a great venue and deservedly won the best venue at the 2018 Melbourne Fringe. The tent is also available for the community, corporate and private events. Lastly but importantly - the staff are just lovely. Helpful, smiling, chatty, enthusiastic. This is also what makes the experience that much better than a mainstream say, theatre. Well done everyone. I look forward to coming to many more events in the future.

Cool little venue. We saw a comedy magic show here and it's really awesome on the inside with the set up. There's a bar next to the Spiegeltent to have a drink while you wait to get in. The show we saw was great and the venue made it nice and intimate.

Wonderful venue, went here for the Moth which was really fun. Such a nice set up, any event here would be worth checking out. Staff were lovely too. Small but good selection of bottled drinks at the little bar. A handful of beers, a cider, some wine and Bundaberg non alcoholic beverages available. The staff also suggested that if you're there for a show on stage, the best seats to see are on the centre floor area, whereas in the booths your view might be blocked.

Really cool, small, warm venue where you feel really close to the show. The "no frills" show was everything we needed this night: simple, funny, authentic

First time at the Melba Spiegeltent and saw Jen Cloher in an intimate acoustic gig. Jen sounded so beautiful, every lyric could be heard distinctly and jen was able to project her voice without yelling, to the very attentive audience. Loved every moment of the whole gig with both Jen and Holly (Tiny Ruins) as support. Love these smaller gigs as they reach out to the audience more. Jen was full of funny stories relating each to her songs. Well done Jen and the Melba spiegeltent 11/10

Excellent venue. Wheel chair accessible entrance, bar area and toilet. The stage is not accessible.

A beautiful venue for all sorts of querky, weird and wonderful events of all sizes.

Great place for an evening event. Good layout so everyone can move around easily. The circular room does create a good atmosphere, especially if you are booking the place out for your own event. The staff where pleasant and helpful. As the name suggests it does resemble a big like circus tent. Obviously as in any night out the enjoyment level comes down to your company, so if you have a good group to socialise with you can’t go wrong here.

This gem of a performance space is nestled on a lot in Carlton. The Melba Spiegeltent (literally meaning 'mirrored tent') is beautiful. It was originally built 100 years ago in Germany. Mirrors adorn the wood posts and coloured glass fills the windows. There are cosy booths circling the back. But I prefer a seat out on the floor where my view isn't obstructed by those pesky (but pretty) mirrored posts. There is also a basic bar at the back with beer and wine to quench your thirst during performances. The venue is home to Circus Oz, but truth be told, I've only seen one-off performances by other artists here. The programming seems to lean towards the safe side - with cabarets where your work colleagues or mother could join you for a show. I recommend the Spiegeltent for an atmospheric night of theatre.