Musical theatre star Ainsley Melham is finally putting down roots

When theatre star Ainsley Melham gets some rare downtime, he enjoys spending time in his Chippendale apartment

Theatre star Ainsley Melham is putting down roots in Chippendale. Pictures: Dylan Robinson

• WHO: Theatre star Ainsley Melham

• WHERE: Apartment in Chippendale

• FAVOURITE THING: My dad has a real knack for finding vintage things and bringing them up to new, including cars and furniture. This chair is a token of him in my home

• INSPIRATION: I am a big kid at heart, so I like to be surrounded by fun things

• HOME IS: There’s always a sense of relief coming home. I’m always on the road so I feel grounded when I come back to Sydney

YOU might know this face from Hi-5, but since wrapping up with the popular children’s entertainment group, Ainsley Melham has been wowing the crowds in stage productions such as Aladdin, Xanadu and A Chorus Line.

Born and raised in Bathurst, Ainsley trained in musical theatre at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

“I am doing now what I was trained to do,” Ainsley says. “When Hi-5 presented itself
I ventured into a different direction, filming and touring overseas. But when that wrapped up,
I wanted to head back into musical theatre.”

Ainsley bought a one-bedroom apartment in inner-city Chippendale in 2013, just as his commitments with Hi-5 kicked in and took him away from home months at a time. Theatre work has also required great stints away from home, with the Aladdin production touring nationally.

Despite not being able to live in Chippendale full time, he is pleased with his real estate investment in the former blue collar area.

AT HOME WITH LAWRENCE MOONEY

“Chippendale has turned into a really cool place and that all happened after I bought it. It was still quite underdeveloped back then but in the years following all these cool cafes and restaurants have sprung up. It was a real chance happening, so I was lucky,” he says. “It’s super convenient — a walk to Central station and only a few moments to Glebe and Broadway. It’s a great area to hang out in and get good food.”

Ainsley is relishing the time he does get to spend in the apartment, updating the kitchen and fitting out the living area with tricked-up vintage finds and vibrant colours.

“It’s always nice to come home and enjoy some semblance of a normal life,” he says. “When you’re always on the road touring, you can feel a bit displaced.”

Vintage chair: My dad has a real knack for finding vintage things and bringing them up to new, including cars and furniture. This chair is a token of him in my home.

Lego: This is a Lego collectors’ edition of The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine. I love The Beatles’ music, this was something I couldn’t walk by and not buy.

Four mugs: They were given to me by a really beautiful friend who I lost a couple of years ago. They mean a lot to me and I think of her whenever I use them.

Miffy lamp: This lamp reminds me of being a kid and watching the Miffy cartoon. It’s cool to go to bed at night and read a book with this lamp on.

Boba Fett: This is from a collection of re-imagined Star Wars characters in high fashion clothing. It’s such a cool series that when I came across them I bought a couple of pieces.

Diary: This is a five-year diary and each day you only write one line. It’s great to keep a record and look back at what you were doing this time last year, or the year before that.

Vinyl records: My dad and I used to watch old movies together and I like music from an era that produced music on vinyl, such as Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland. I’ll get new music on vinyl too if I can.

Salt and pepper pots: They were made by my dresser on Aladdin, who helps me get ready. He loves pottery. I love how colourful they are.

Cookbooks: I love cooking, which comes from my Italian/Lebanese upbringing. You will always find a cookbook open in my home. My favourite thing to cook is kibbeh.

Comic books: I started collecting about three years ago. I love reading novels but I crossed over to comics for the artwork. Some brilliant artists have lent their hand to comic design.