In August 2017, Melbourne La Mama Theatre celebrates 60 years since the premiere of its first performance. Jack Hibberd Three Old Friends. La Mama commemorates the rich life story of the theatre so far, tracking the history and chronology of the work that has been made and the many careers that have been born, raised and cherished there. Complemented hundreds of wonderful photographs, as the book is woven together through a series of rowdy yarns spun by the La Mama community, capturing the sense of the magic that has been inspiring audiences for fifty years.-Gate fold.

Contents:
Acknowledgements -- Foreword /Liz Jones --Note on navigating the book / Adam Cass -- 1967-1976 -- Artistic director: Liz Jones -- Downtown intellect / Malcolm Robinson, with Liz Jones and Roisin Lynaugh -- Poet: Bill Beard -- Notes from my travels / Meg Clancy -- Philosopher improviser: Bill Garner -- Radical feminist: Alison Richards --La Mama forever young at 50. Some musings on what it means to me / Mary-Anne Caleo -- 1977-1986 -- Small history of 205 Faraday Street, Carlton / Liz Jones -- Publicist: Maureen Hartley -- Notes from my travels / Judith Buckrich (Judy Raphael) -- Explorer of the possibilities of the form: Richard Morphet -- Son of La Mama: Nedd Jones -- Tough egg: Carmelina Di Giuglielmo -- Little bit of La Mama's history / Mary Duckworth -- Trailblazer: Tes Lyssiotis -- My La Mama / Stella Pulo -- Whistler: Tom Gutteridge -- La Mama and me / Merrilee Moss -- 1987-1996 -- Little letter from / Catherine Hill -- Quintessential collaborators: Caroline Lee and Laurence Strangio -- Performance maker: Bagryana Popov -- Midwife: Susan Bradford Caleo -- For around twenty years I've worked on and off at La Mama / Stephen House -- Work experience person who never left: Fiona Wiseman -- Rowdy gathering / James Clayden, Particia Cornelius, Susie Dee, Barry Dickins, Jill O'Callaghan (Buckler) and Daniel Schlusser, with Lloyd Jones, Fiona Wiseman, Caitlin Dullard and Mathilde Broudic -- Audience account and an upside-down flag / Jean Taylor -- Illuminators: Bronwyn Pringle and Richard Vabre -- 2 a.m. the day after Mothers Day 2015 / June Wollard -- Rabble: Mary Helen Sassman, Emma Valente and Kate Davis -- Meaning of exile and writing on the fringe of the cities / Mammad Aidoni -- 1997-2006 -- Explorations / Abe Pogos -- Notes from my travels / Noel Tovey -- Director: Peta Hanrahan -- No place like home-a tribute to La Mama / Gaylene Carbis -- Fragmentary responses to provocations-how did your La Mama story begin? What is your La Mama? / Mic Smith -- Adventurer into the spoken work: Sandra Long -- Brief guide to Musica / Annabel Worthington (with a cameo by Penny Brown) -- Beekeeper: Tim Stitz -- Short play / Kit Lazaroo -- Writer for performance: Cynthia Troup -- Sort of joyful manifesto / James Hazelden -- Notes from my travels / Robert Ried -- 2007-2016 -- Artists upstairs-four short monologues by La Mama staffers / Amber Hart, Elena Larkin, Stefania Di Gennaro and Zachary Kazepis -- Notes from my travels / Darren Vizer with Caitlin Dullard -- Pathmaker: Monia McDonald -- Excavator of magical spaces: Cera Maree Brown -- Notes from my travels / Sofia Chapman -- Memories of doing shows at La Mama (1970-2014) / Don Mackay -- Debutante: Sandra Chui -- Painter: Lloyd Jones -- Some text / Elnaz Shehgelani -- Vale Betty Burstall (1926-2013) / Malcolm Robertson and Liz Jones -- Dreaming into the future / Caitlain Dullard -- Photograph credits -- La Mama staff 1967-2016 --
Colour illustrations on end papers. Includes index.