a brief history of St Martins

The site of St Martins Youth Arts Centre has been host to theatrical activity since the beginning of the last century. Between 1900 and 1929 it served the parishioners of St Chad’s Chapel of Ease as an educational centre for the teaching of Drama, Art, Elocution and other cultural subjects. In 1934, the Melbourne Little Theatre was founded by Brett Randall and Hal Percy, and after much fundraising, their original theatre (now called the Randall) opened in 1956. Up until that time the narrow lane which led to the site was known as Martin Street named after a local merchant, William Carrick Martin, but as the new theatre neared completion, The Randalls obtained permission to rename the street St Martins Lane, after their new theatre and their namesake in England.

In its time the Melbourne Little Theatre was renowned for its contemporary productions, and produced some very well known arts personalities, including Julia Blake, Terry Norris, Norman Kaye, Kevin Miles, John Truscott, Graham Kennedy, George Fairfax and Frank Thring. Melbourne Little Theatre continued here until the mid seventies when spiraling production costs forced them to put the site up for auction.

In mid 1977, the Victorian Government purchased the St Martins Theatre site in a move designed to emphasise youth involvement in the arts in Victoria by establishing a Youth Arts Centre. In 1978 and 1979, a youth company operating under the name of St Martins and the direction of Helmut Bakaitas eventually took up residence, incorporating members of the former Melbourne Theatre Company Youth Company. St Martins Youth Arts Centre was incorporated under the Companies Act of 1961 on March 18, 1980 as a company limited by guarantee. The completed arts centre was officially opened by The Hon. Race Matthews MLA, Minister for the Arts, on April 28, 1982

Artists who have made their start at St Martins in this time include Jane Turner and Gina Riley, Catherine McClements, Mark Trevorrow, Madeleine West, Barrie Kosky, Noah Taylor, Ben Mendolssohn, and Dan Spielman.

who was st martin?

Saint Martin was forced into the army against his will and is most famous for dividing his cloak in two to share with a beggar. Once excused from military duty he tried to be a hermit but kept getting voted into church positions of power. He took a stand against the Spanish Inquisition and survived.

Saint Martin is venerated at Tours. He serves as patron of armorers, beggars, cavalry, coopers, domestic animals, France, geese, girdlers, glovers, horses and horsemen, infantrymen, millers, innkeepers, soldiers, tailors, wine growers and wine merchants (because his feast falls just after the vendange), and wool-weavers (because he divided his cloak). He is invoked against drunkenness, storms, and ulcers.