A pop-up theatre in Melbourne is proving more than much ado about nothing.
A replica of William Shakespeare's Globe in London will be built at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and will stage some of the bard's best known plays.
Up to 900 patrons will be able to fit into the open air theatre, with 300 tickets for standing room, a throwback to Tudor "groundling" audiences of the time.
"When you step into the pop up Globe theatre you feel like you are stepping back 350 years, back into the Globe Theatre on the south bank of London's Thames," pop up Globe founder and artistic director Dr Miles Gregory told reporters on Thursday.
He said the theatre was built to the exact interior and exterior dimensions of the Globe in London, with three storeys, an onion dome and a hand painted fresco on the roof.
Acting Premier James Merlino said the theatre would be like a time machine for Melburnians.
"This has drawn incredible crowds internationally, more than 100,000 in a season and our challenge will be to break that record," he said.
The replica Globe was first unveiled in Auckland, planned as a one-off to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death in 2014.
The popularity in Auckland saw the season extended and Melbourne is the first city outside of New Zealand to feature the pop-up theatre.
Productions at the Globe will feature Much Ado About Nothing, Othello, As You Like It as well as Around the Globe in 60 Minutes, with performances to run from September to November.
