JANA VERHOEVEN, Melbourne French Theatre: Thirty-Five Years of History
This special number of Explorations marks and celebrates the achievements of Melbourne French Theatre Inc. over thirty-five years of operation. Born in the 1970s of a dual passion for theatre and French culture on the part of two university students, MFT has grown into a unique institution of French-Australian cultural exchange. Through archival research and interviews with many key figures, cultural historian Jana Verhoeven has explored the inner workings of MFT, sketching its historical evolution from student drama to a more sophisticated and professional bi-lingual theatrical company.
Keywords: Melbourne French Theatre, cultural exchange, Australian theatre, bi-lingual theatre