Cafe Scheherazade Returns to Fortyfivedownstairs

After a marathon 9 weeks, The Burlesque Hour has folded away its red velvet curtains, making way for the golden ones of Café Scheherazade in its landmark return season - tickets are again selling fast, so don't miss out!

Theatre : Café Scheherazade
A fortyfivedownstairs production
Saturday 20 August to Sunday 11 September

Café Scheherazade by Thérèse Radic is based on the much loved novel by Arnold Zable and directed by Green Room Award winner Bagryana Popov. It tells of the escapes from a war torn Europe by a group of Jewish refugees who wound up around the tables of the real-life Café Scheherazade, in Acland Street St Kilda. There are stories of survival and ingenuity, the unforgettable horrors of war, and also the enduring love story of the café owners, Masha and Avram Zeleznikow.

These are tales of hope and humour, defiance and endurance - an affirmation of life and of love. They are as relevant today, in the light of contemporary events, as a new wave of asylum seekers look for refuge in this country.

Dates: Saturday 20 August - Sunday 11 September*
Times: Tuesday - Saturday 8pm, Sunday 5pm
Matinee Wednesday 24 & 31 August 2pm
Matinee Saturday 27 August & 3 September 4pm.
Tickets: Full $45, Seniors $40, Conc $37.50, Group(10+) $40
*No performance on Sunday 21 August

Book online or call 03 9662 9966 and become a fan of the return season on facebook here.

Large Gallery: Trevor Mein
Cumulus
Until Saturday 20 August

Absolutely stunning is one way to describe these photographs by Trevor Mein. Clouds create spaces for the wildest of imaginations, and these works have been beautifully described by writer Fiona Capp, who writes: "Framed by his camera and plucked from the sky, clouds become numinous artifacts; images filtered through the mind's eye. Dazzling explosions of bulbous white. Pendulous udders beneath quilted beds. Fragile curlicues of fine-spun thread. To look at these works is to wonder why we aren't cloudstruck, immobilized with awe, scanning the sky every moment we get."

Small Gallery:Susan Stamp
Melbourne Zoo Series
Until Saturday 20 August

Drawing is often under-valued, but it is the under-pinning of great art. Fluidity and speed, capturing the moment, it has always seemed somehow magical to us.

‘The act of drawing for me is simultaneously an act of seeing, describing and recording the world. Therefore, the excitement and concentration of the hand moving in response to the crowds and animals at Melbourne Zoo, is a response to something fleeting but arrested, transfixed in the moment of observation.' Susan Stamp, 2011.

As well as the Zoo drawings, we have a wonderful series of drawings Susan Stamp made over almost five years in the 1980s, when she spent weeks sitting at a table drawing the animated groups arguing and reminiscing at the real life Café Scheherazade. On view in the gallery until 20 August they will then be shown in the theatre until 11 September.

Coming up at fortyfivedownstairs, recitals by two young virtuoso pianists, plus a rising young contemporary composer.

Classical Music: Coady Green
Virtuoso Russian Etudes and Sonatas

Coady Geen returns briefly from a growing international career, which includes recent performances in Europe, Asia and Africa, to present a programme of Russian composers. In his performance last year Coady took full advantage of the intimate atmosphere of fortyfivedownstairs to have a conversation with the audience, illuminating the works, and his rationale for the programme he'd chosen. It was a delightful occasion and we're so pleased he has chosen to return.

Date: Monday 22 August
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: Full $30, Concession $25
Book online or call 03 9662 9966

Contemporary Music: Joshua Hyde
The boundlessness of the instant

Another young musician returning to Australia, this time from Paris and a South East Asian tour, Joshua Hyde will be presenting a programme of new music with the help of Leigh Harrold, Winnie Huang and Anna Camara. They will be playing new music from South America, North America, Europe and Australia, plus Sydney artist Ben Carey will present his current electro-acoustic music which is based on the interplay between live performance and computer interaction.

Date: Monday 29 August
Time: 7pm
Tickets: Purchase at the door, Full $15, Concession $10

Classical Music: TriStan Lee
Piano recital

We feel quite possessive about TriStan Lee, who will be performing at fortyfivedownstairs for the fourth time. In what has become his yearly Melbourne recital he will perform a diverse and challenging programme, this time featuring works by Mozart, Brahms and Liszt as well as Beethoven's formidable masterpiece, the Appassionata Sonata.

Date: Monday 5 September
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: Full $30, Concession $25
Book online here or call 03 9662 9966

Coming up: Arts Spring Clean, 6-8pm, 26 September
an exciting opportunity to discuss and exchange ideas with other creative people. Please email sally.postbox@gmail.com to register your interest.

Bookings for all fortyfivedownstairs shows: www.fortyfivedownstairs.com tel 9662 9966

If you want to hear up to the minute news from fortyfivedownstairs follow our blog, become a fan on our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter.

Since 2002 fortyfivedownstairs, a not-for-profit organisation, has offered an evocative urban space and a personalised servIce To an eclectic mix of artists for theatre, visual arts, forum, music and dance .

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