Melbourne - Australia 2004 - page 559

Half-Price Tickets
Buy your tickets for entertainment events, including opera, dance, and
drama, on the day of the performance from the Half-Tix Desk in the Mel-
bourne Town Hall on Swanston Street ( & 03/9650 9420 ). The booth is
open Monday from 10am to 2pm, Tuesday through Thursday from 11am
to 6pm, Friday from 11am to 6:30pm, and Saturday from 10am to 2pm.
Tickets must be purchased in cash. Available shows are displayed on the
booth door; note that you can't get show information over the phone.

Value

The Forum Theatre The Forum hosts well-known bands and international
comedians. Tables and chairs are set up in cabaret-style booths, from which you
can order drinks and meals. 154 Flinders St., City. & 03/9299 9886.
Her Majesty's Theatre A fire destroyed the original theater here, but the
current structure still retains the original facade and the Art-Deco interior added
during a 1936 renovation. Musicals, such as the Australian premier of Chicago,
frequent the boards. 219 Exhibition St., City. & 03/9663 3211.
The Princess Theatre This huge facility hosts extravaganza productions.
The theater opened its doors in 1886, and it still retains a dramatic marble stair-
case and ornate plaster ceilings. 163 Spring St., City. & 03/9 663 3300.
The Regent Theatre Built in 1929, the Regent fell into disrepair and its
stage was dark for 25 years. Now, after a recent A$35 million (US$23 million)
renovation, it's been restored to its former glory. Tickets are available in the U.S.
through ATS Tours at & 800/423-2880. The theater offers a range of dining
packages. 191 Collins St., City. & 03/9299 9800.
Sidney Myer Music Bowl This huge outdoor entertainment center is run
under the auspices of the Victorian Arts Center Trust, and hosts opera, jazz, and
ballet in the warmer months (and ice skating in the winter). It underwent exten-
sive renovations in 2000. King's Domain, Alexandra Ave., City. & 03/9281 8360.
CINEMAS
Most of the city cinemas are situated within 2 blocks of the intersection of
Bourke and Russell streets. Tickets cost between A$9 and A$14 (US$5.90-
US$9.10). Among the independent cinemas, the one that stands out is the
Astor, 3 Chapel St., East St. Kilda, at the corner of Chapel and Dandenong
roads ( & 03 9510 1414 ). Housed in a superb Art Nouveau building, the Astor
shows well-chosen classic movies.
THE CLUB & MUSIC SCENE
Melbourne's nightclub scene used to be centered along King Street, and while
this area is still popular with large disco-style venues, the city is now awash with
unique, hidden bars and clubs. It's best just to follow the crowds—or in some
cases that couple slipping down a side lane and disappearing into a dimly lit
entrance. Otherwise, the following options are more enduring in their appeal.
Bella Vista Social Club Owned by the team at Becco, BVSC is upstairs
above this perennially favorite restaurant. Ultra modern in a microsuede kind of
way, this place jumps with a late-night crowd of many splendid hues—arty
young things mingling with the suits, and all watching the goings on in the
laneway below via a large screen hookup. 11-25 Crossley St. & 03/9663 3000.