Love Letters to The Butterfly Club

Stumbling in at 2am after our gaggle of burly-q glitterati—La Viola Vixen, Bella de Jac, Strawberry Siren, Vesper White, Lola the Vamp, and The Judy Dolls—wrapped a Melbourne Fringe gig in 2011, I found a fever dream of toys, trinkets, and talismans: a feral shrine of fairy-trash glamour. It was a squat-meets-psych-circus, part lounge room, part acid trip. The Butt Club wasn’t just a venue—it was a breeding ground. Neo-burlesque didn’t just happen there; it hatched, glittered, and howled. It was where ideas were spat out over whisky at 3am and thrown on stage the next night, duct-taped together with guts, glitter, and a fuck-you attitude. It was sticky, it was sacred, it was chaotic, raw, and revolutionary. A dirty little nest where the weirdos won, night after night.

The Butterfly Club was such a magical place for me; this iconoclastic little cave of wonders, crusted from floor to ceiling with strange nostalgic pop artefacts and clues to the secret little treasure hunts that the staff would hide amongst all the glowing kitsch. It was like the walls oozed with the creativity and playfulness of the place; and everyone who worked there was always so lovely and supportive, when I was there both as a punter and as a performer. It really felt like being welcomed home, every time, which I think has definitely impacted and informed my own approach to the work I do and the art I make.

Didn’t want to believe this, still don’t want to believe it. Twenty years of being part of this beautiful adventure. Thank you for providing the space for so many of us to perform, grow, fail, celebrate, record, heckle, collaborate, get mildly tipsy, and escape from the world. There will never be anything like the club ... but how lucky were we to have it in the first place. XXX

There are certain places that feel like home away from home the minute you step foot in them, even if you’re halfway across the world. I felt that way the first time I stepped foot in the Famous Spiegeltent in Edinburgh (where I met Melburnian Tom Dickens, by the by) and I felt it the moment I stepped into The Butterfly Club. Here was a place, run by queers, dedicated to art and delight and allyship, a place for the rest of us to hide and frolick. If I ever open my own speakeasy, I’m covering at least one wall in butterflies in homage to David and Neville.

I remember the first time I was at the butterfly club in 2014 and someone showed me the upstairs theatre. Immediately I thought “oh, I can do a show in here. I can do a show about anything I want. I can do a show and be anything I want to be. That’s what I can do here”. I felt like I could be myself somewhere for the first time in my life. I don’t know where I would be without the butterfly club.

the butterfly club was a place like no other, where independent art makers could take flight and make new magic. it holds a special place in my heart as it’s the first place i saw Betty Grumbles show ‘Sex Clown saves the World’. Her powerful, sensual, humorous and heartfelt work transformed me and reminded me that art truly does have the power to save the world. thank you body. thank you Betty and thank you Butterfly Club

(It was) a space that allowed performers starting out to perform on the same stage the people that inspired them did. This was a creative space by artists for artists and it will be sorely missed.

It always felt like a clubhouse for us - the perfect Melbourne speakeasy - a hidden, glittering gem at the end of a grey alley. It's two performance spaces were so intimate and fun. It's decor was so weird and chaotic. It's cocktails were so delicious. And, most importantly, it showed faith in generations of writers, actors, cabaret performers and theatre-makers, by being a true partner, and bravely aligning their fates to the success of the shows they staged. It is a beautiful and rare thing in this world to find people who want to help you make things.

You gave us a space for our art To show our heart And make the world a better place

Hearing the sad news about The Butterfly Club these past few days has left my heart heavy. This little theatre was more than just a venue — it was a sanctuary. It was where I stood, trembling but determined, and bared my soul. After I was sexually assaulted in Royal Park in 2023, I made an impulsive decision to create a one-man show about the experience. I didn’t know what it would look like or where it would land — I just knew I had to use my voice. From the very first meeting, The Butterfly Club — through the kindness of Simone, Jack, and Shannon — wrapped me in support. They didn’t just offer me a stage; they offered me a home.

I was lucky enough to find The Butterfly Club in July of 2025. The warmth of the venue; it's decor, it's staff, and its patrons were something I feel so lucky to have experienced. If there were more places like The Butterfly Club, the world would be a better, more authentic, and enjoyable place.

I’ve done quite a few shows at the Butterfly Club over the years and it always felt such a welcoming place to perform. I loved the intimacy of the room and being so close to the audience. It means they’re there to see everything that goes wrong or right and for me that’s exciting. I’m lucky enough to travel the world with my shows and the Butterfly Club felt uniquely Melbourne and that made it even more special.

I have both the South Melbourne and CBD Butterfly Club venues to thank for decades of artistic growth. And employment. Neville, David and Simone always allowed me to take risks, test my writing and my audiences, supported me and my work, and most importantly *believed* in me and my co-conspirators from day one. I truly fear that as the Butterfly closes its wings, many upcoming artists will not have the opportunities I did.

I first heard about the Butterfly Club right after finishing drama school. I was told it was a place where someone like me could create work and gain visibility. This marked the beginning of a lifelong creative partnership with the Butterfly Club, where I initiated numerous projects and performed in many others. I never felt stressed or anxious there; instead, I felt welcomed and at home. The Butterfly Club felt like just another rehearsal room, where I was free to simply be.

In a world where this place wasn’t supposed to be, no place felt more like home

I, like so many other artists in Melbourne right now, are mourning the very sudden closure of The Butterfly Club. It was an institution for so many performers, many I know who launched their careers there. I was a seasoned performer myself, but performing at The Butt Club felt like home. From providing a platform for my Cabaret Abnormal productions, to hosting my very first solo cabaret Freak, it was a place that was truly one of a kind. I'm not sure we'll ever have another place like it but it was an honour to see and perform so many shows there and for now, to the Butterfly Club I say; thanks for the memories

Working there never felt like just a job, it unexpectedly became a second home for me. I got to work with and meet some of the most genuine, creative people. The Butterfly Club will always hold a special place in my heart.

After The Burlesque Bar closed in 2013, The Butterfly Club offered Drawing Straws a new and wondrous home (...) For nearly 14 years, every Tuesday night was a magical celebration of burlesque life drawing. Walking up Carson Place always felt like stepping through the wardrobe (...) I’ve cherished every moment, every performer, and every chance to draw. I will miss this place deeply, and the remarkable people who kept it alive (...) I hope we’ll meet again in our new afterlife With love, Drawing Straws

Considering I have always thought of myself as A Queen Of Kitsch so when I first walked into The Butterfly Club in its original Venue in South Melbourne I felt I had come home. The theory is that a butterfly flapping its wings in one location could eventually set off a tornado in a different location. I am sure myself and countless other creative butterflies flapping our wings @ The Butterfly Club for 25 years set off numerous tornadoes, tsunamis and earthquakes in the Melbourne Underground. The Butterfly Club was The Mother of All Butterflies - NO BUTS ABOUT IT! So Melbourne brace yourselves for AFTERSHOCKS!!!

The butterfly club was a beautiful place of experimentation for me. It was on my bucket list to produce a show there, and I was grateful to perform on those tiny stages many times as a guest in other shows. Butterfly club gave me the opportunity to put my own show on, and make people laugh. It was a proving ground. Their mocktails were also delicious.

This is the exact space that I dreamed of as a lonely queer kid in the country, wishing to live bold and free in a big city. When I found it, I was flooded with a sense of belonging. To perform here was a magical joy, and one I wish more people could experience. I'll miss The Butterfly Club for years to come, but it's memory will live on in myself and so many others.

What a joy performing at The Butterfly Club always was. It was real and gritty, full of all the artist's dreams, their fears and their wild laughter. The whimsical decor absolutely added to everyone's - audience and creatives alike - experience of 'taking us to another place' where stories, truths and heartbreak all revealed themselves to open hearts. Our culture needs places like The Butterfly Club so we can soar above the controlling mundane world. It will be sorely missed.

So many stairs, so many levels, so many stars, so many cocktails, so many smiles, so many knickknacks, so many stories, so many fellow travelers - but never too many, no, never ever too many of any

Butterfly Club was a place I remember walking into and feeling like 'I want to be the type of person on the walls here'. And then through burlesque and drag and a couple of very special cast shows, I was.

The Butterfly Club has been an important part of my artistic journey and my life. I've made lifelong friends within this venue. I've gone from woman to man within this venue. There will never be any venue like The Butterfly Club again.

A safe space to try - anything or everything. We (Not Done Yet) did our thing - fun, adventurous, with sparkles on. B.C. held us, gave us courage, shared our dreams We will miss the crazy stuff

​I performed my first paid burlesque show in the upstairs theatre at the Butterfly Club. Sitting in that big, messy dressing room, surrounded by the detritus of performers past, felt magical.

THE BUTTERFLY CLUB WAS A PLACE THAT ENCOURAGED MY ADDICTION 2 WRITHING AROUND ON STAGE 4 MONEY AND ATTENTION AND ILL 4EVA B GR8FUL

The Butterfly Club has always been there for independent artists - I remember sitting in the dressing room and seeing all of the posters from years gone by. Everyone had signed off with some witty remark thanking the club for its service - with posters and polaroids and quotes from the early 2000s. It’s a beautiful time capsule of some of Melbourne’s best indie theatre.

I will always treasure counting down the seconds, exploring the downstairs theatre with my eyes while I struggled to hold an ambitious pose during Drawing Straws. Or the buzz in my chest as I would climb the stair well, counting the flights remaining, with my full showcase in hand. Some people might say those are tedious moments, but they are the ones that remind me that this is real and this is my life, they will stay with me forever.

No matter who’s in the lineup for the night at The butterfly club the night always feels so welcoming. Like friends and a laugh. Even if it’s the first time I’ve met the cast!

At the butterfly club I can share my range of acts and really let my clownery loose! Performing there, I've seen a range of talented people do what they do best and am honoured to be alongside them every time.

When I first set foot in The Butterfly Club I was just so happy to have found a place like this. It looks like someone has designed it for me. My whole (performance) life I am drawn to places that feel authentic and organic. You can see the history and the love and care that went into making it amazing. And you can feel that it is welcoming you. Whoever you are and wherever you are from. It is wonderful to feel at home where you work. And the work we do is not just work. It is showing our soul and offering our inner selves to the audience. The Butterfly Club is a safe space to do that. And in providing this space it allows me to dig even deeper and be more open and vulnerable. And thereby a better artist. I am forever grateful.