Belvoir (theatre company) explained

Belvoir
Formed:1984
Location:Sydney, Australia
Artisticdirector:Eamon Flack

Belvoir is an Australian theatre company based at the Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney, Australia, originally known as Company B. Its artistic director is Eamon Flack. The theatre comprises two performing spaces: the Upstairs Theatre and the smaller Downstairs Theatre.

The Belvoir company, which receives some government funding, has featured many actors who have since become big stars of theatre and film, such as Cate Blanchett, Simon Stone, Leah Purcell, Benedict Andrews, Tommy Murphy, Kate Mulvany, Anne-Louise Sarks, Wesley Enoch, S. Shakthidharan, and former artistic director Neil Armfield. It has also garnered many awards for its productions, including Helpmann and Sydney Theatre Awards.

History

Theatre

Belvoir St Theatre
Location:Belvoir Street, Surry Hills,
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Type:Indoor theatre
Opened:1984
Seating Type:Reserved

The theatre, converted from a former tomato sauce factory, opened in 1974 as the Nimrod Theatre for the Nimrod Theatre Company. The first production at the theatre was rock musical The Bacchoi.[1] It was renamed as "'Belvoir St" in 1984 by Sue Hill and Chris Westwood when the building was purchased by a syndicate of people (Belvoir Street Theatre Pty Ltd).[2]

Renovations costing around commenced in 2005 and were delayed in 2006 with the discovery of asbestos in the building's roof. The theatre reopened in October 2006 with the Sydney season of It Just Stopped by Stephen Sewell.[3]

The theatre contains a 330-seat auditorium called the Upstairs Theatre, and an 80-seat performing space called the Downstairs Theatre.[4]

Formation of the company

Belvoir began, in 1984, when two syndicates were established: "Company A" with shares at $1000 each, which would own the building, and "Company B", with shares at $10 each.[5] [6] Company B aimed to stage theatre productions which were "contemporary, politically sharp, hard-edged Australian theatre; to develop new forms of theatrical expression; work by and about "Aboriginal Australians; work created by women; radical interpretations of the classics and work that is surprising, diverse and passionate.[7]

Company

Belvoir was officially launched in February 1985.[5] Later that year, Signal Driver, written by Patrick White and directed by Neil Armfield, was 'the first play produced from the ground up by Belvoir'.[8] In the lead roles were Kerry Walker and John Gaden.[8] [9] The theatre poster was designed by Martin Sharp.[5] Armfield later recalled that White, who had purchased ten shares in the theatre, was its 'greatest shareholder'.[8]

From its foundation, Belvoir also instituted a "parity pay policy" where all employees, from actors to stage hands, received the same hourly rate of pay.[10] This policy, which continued from 1985 to the end of the 2011 season,[11] prompted former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating to describe the Belvoir as "Australia's last commune".[12]

In 2005, Belvoir temporarily moved to the Seymour Centre, Chippendale, while the theatre building underwent an $11.6 million renovation, and returned the following year.[13]

In January 2011, Ralph Myers took over from Neil Armfield as artistic director, stating 'There's a wealth of Australian playwriting and 2500 years of great plays to draw on, I don't see a need to import new plays from overseas.'[11] In July 2014, Myers announced that he would be stepping down from his role at the end of the 2015 season.[14] Myers said he had 'an "ideological" commitment to the regular turnover of artistic directorships'.[14]

Also in 2011, Belvoir appointed Simon Stone as the first director-in-residence.[15] Stone's adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's The Wild Duck, with the Belvoir, went on to win both Helpmann and Sydney Theatre Awards, in 2011, before being taken to Oslo for a three night performance as part of the 2012 International Ibsen Festival.[16] Stone resigned from his position in 2013,[15] and was replaced by dual directors-in-residence Adena Jacobs and Anne-Louise Sarks.[17]

In 2016 Myers was succeeded as artistic director by Eamon Flack.[18] In February 2022 Carissa Licciardello and Hannah Goodwin were appointed directors-in-residence.[19]

In 2019 Belvoir collected an unprecedented thirteen Helpmann Awards, including Best Play, Best New Australian Work and Best Direction of a Play. In the same year actors in Belvoir productions collected Best Female Actor in a Play, Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play, Best Male Actor in a Play and Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play.[20]

Past talent

The Belvoir has featured many actors who went on to have illustrious careers, such as Cate Blanchett, Simon Stone, Leah Purcell, Benedict Andrews, Tommy Murphy, Kate Mulvany, Anne-Louise Sarks, Wesley Enoch, S. Shakthidharan, and former artistic director Neil Armfield.

Governance and funding

the artistic director is Eamon Flack, while Aaron Beach is executive director.[21]

In 2014 there were currently 600 shareholders,[22] including noted actors, directors, writers and performers Robyn Archer, Gillian Armstrong, Peter Carey, Judy Davis, Mel Gibson, Max Gillies, Nicole Kidman, Sam Neill, David Williamson, Neil Armfield and Colin Friels. Previous shareholders have also included Joan Sutherland, Ruth Cracknell, Gwen Plumb, Dorothy Hewett, Mike Willesee and Patrick White.

The Belvoir company receives government support for its activities from the federal government through the Major Performing Arts Board of the Australia Council for the Arts and the state government through Create NSW.[23]

Balnaves Fellowship

The Balnaves Foundation is a private philanthropic organisation founded by media executive Neil Balnaves in 2006.[24]

In 2011 the Balnaves Foundation established support for two Indigenous-led works per year at Belvoir. It also created the Balnaves Award, which evolved into the Balnaves Fellowship in 2021. The fellowship is awarded to a playwright or director or writer/director, who is given over 12 months to create a new work, spending two days a week over 10 months as a resident artist at Belvoir.[25]

Past recipients of the award or fellowship include:[25]

Andrew Cameron Fellowship

In 2018 philanthropist Andrew Cameron established support for an up-and-coming artist to have a two-year residency at Belvoir. The fellowship is awarded to a designer, director or writer/director, who is employed by the company over two years as a resident artist at Belvoir.[26]

Past recipients of the award or fellowship include:[25]

Belvoir education program

The Belvoir's education program for students and teachers includes practical theatre workshops at the theatre or participating school, tours of backstage and behind the scenes areas of the theatre, technical tours led by a professional theatre technician and a Theatre Enrichment Program for "senior English and Drama students in Western Sydney and regional NSW". In addition, Belvoir's Outreach Program partners with local youth support organisations such as Youth Off The Streets, The John Berne School, Twenty10 and Regenesis Youth. Through the Priority Funded Schools Program Belvoir also allows selected students to attend some performances free of charge. Limited student work experience and work placement opportunities are also available.[29]

Seasons

2024

2023

2022

2021

(Miss Peony was rehearsed and produced but the season was cancelled due to Covid restrictions. At What Cost?, Light Shining in Buckinghamshire and Wayside Bride were likewise rehearsed but were postponed to the 2022 season.)

2020

(Note that the outbreak of COVID-19 saw the theatre go dark after two performances of Dance Nation. The season resumed on 16 September with A Room of One's Own, followed by Cursed! and My Brilliant Career, which played into 2021. The productions of Escaped Alone and Summerfolk were cancelled.)

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: LIFE STYLE TALKING POINT New Nimrod Theatre opens . . 48 . 13,774 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 5 June 1974 . 20 July 2019 . 18 . National Library of Australia.
  2. News: Belvoir St: coming of age. Cousins. Robert. 2011-06-04. The Australian. 2014-08-05.
  3. News: Jinman . Richard . Asbestos in the roof the latest drama at Belvoir Street . . 2006-07-26 . 2014-08-05 .
  4. Web site: Venue Hire . Belvoir St Theatre . 10 October 2021 . 26 April 2022.
  5. News: Cousins . Robert . Belvoir St: coming of age. The Australian. 2011-06-04 . 2014-08-05 .
  6. Web site: Records of Company B at Belvoir Street Theatre.
  7. Book: Filmer . Andrew . Backstage Space: The Place of the Performer . A Place For Theatre: Performing at Belvoir Street . Department of Performance Studies, University of Sydney . 6 July 2006 . 201 . 2014-08-05 .
  8. Patrick White: A Centenary Tribute . Meanjin. 2012 . Armfield . Neil . 2014-08-05 .
  9. News: Blake . Elissa . Never far from home . The Sydney Morning Herald. 2009-03-21 . 2014-08-05 .
  10. News: The theatre company where nobody gets top billing . Louise . Schwartzkoff . The Sydney Morning Herald . 21 February 2009 . 20 November 2011 .
  11. News: Boland . Michaela . Ralph Myers puts stamp on Belvoir St. The Australian. 2010-09-16 . 2014-08-05 .
  12. Web site: Belvoir Annual Report 2011 . Belvoir St. Theatre . 2014-08-05 .
  13. News: Jinman . Richard . Asbestos in the roof the latest drama at Belvoir Street . The Sydney Morning Herald . 2006-07-26 . 2014-08-05 .
  14. News: Blake . Elissa . Final curtain: Belvoir artistic director Ralph Myers to leave theatre company . The Sydney Morning Herald . 2014-07-22 . 2014-08-05 .
  15. News: Saxby . John . Director-in-residence leaves Belvoir home . The Sydney Morning Herald . 2013-04-08 . 2014-08-05 .
  16. News: Blake . Elissa . Award-winning Belvoir production chosen for Ibsen festival . The Sydney Morning Herald . 2012-04-24 . 2014-08-05 .
  17. News: Dow . Steven . Secret's out: Belvoir unveils a double bill . The Sydney Morning Herald . 2013-04-09 . 2014-08-05 .
  18. News: Eamon Flack Appointed New Artistic Director. The Sydney Morning Herald. 14 November 2014.
  19. Web site: BELVOIR ANNOUNCES THE APPOINTMENT OF TWO RESIDENT DIRECTORS : CARISSA LICCIARDELLO AND HANNAH GOODWIN | Sydney Arts Guide .
  20. Web site: 2019 Nominees and Winners . Helpmann Awards.
  21. Web site: This is Belvoir . Belvoir St Theatre . 31 May 2023 . 25 June 2024.
  22. Web site: About . Belvoir St. Theatre . 2014-08-05 .
  23. Web site: Belvoir . Create NSW . 3 November 2010 . 12 May 2020.
  24. Web site: Who We Are . Balnaves Foundation . 27 April 2022.
  25. Web site: Fellowship and Residencies . Belvoir St Theatre . 25 February 2022 . 27 April 2022.
  26. Web site: Fellowship and Residencies . Belvoir St Theatre . 29 May 2024.
  27. Web site: Margaret Thanos Fellowship . Belvoir St Theatre. 29 May 2024.
  28. Web site: Abbie Lee Lewis Fellowship . Belvoir St Theatre . 29 May 2024.
  29. Web site: Education at Belvoir . Belvoir St. Theatre . 2014-08-05 .

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