The Pram Factory

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The Pram Factory was an Australian alternative theatre venue in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton. The building was previously a factory that made baby carriages (known as 'prams', a colloquial abbreviation of "perambulator") [1] Plays premiered at The Pram Factory include Don's Party , [2] the satirical The Hills Family Show, [3] and Pecking Orders by Phillip Motherwell [4] It is best known as the home for the Australian Performing Group. Writer Helen Garner was a frequent patron at The Pram Factory before and during the writing of her seminal 1977 novel Monkey Grip , which showcased much of what was then a considerably counter-cultural, bohemian Carlton and inner-city Melbourne. Garner's former husband, Bill Garner, had been a member of The Pram Factory performance group throughout its heyday.

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The building was demolished in 1980 despite protest from the theatre community and Carlton residents. The Lygon Court shopping centre was built in its place to the designs of architect Ermin Smrekar. [5]

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References

  1. Lillye, Bert (11 March 1977). "Memories Revived in The Pram Factory". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  2. Brisbane, Katharine (28 November 2011). "Despite the cultural landmarks of the past 40 years, Australian artists lack the standing they deserve". The Australian . Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  3. Jones, Margaret (12 March 1977). "Good family show". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  4. "At The Pram Factory". The Age . 31 March 1976. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  5. 'Showdown Looms in Lygon Street', Norman Day, The Age 4 November 1980 p.10

Coordinates: 37°47′53″S144°58′06″E / 37.797978°S 144.968424°E / -37.797978; 144.968424