Belvoir (theatre company)

Belvoir is an Australian theatre company based at the Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney, Australia. Its artistic director is Eamon Flack.

Belvoir
Formation1984
TypeTheatre group
Location
Artistic director(s)
Eamon Flack
Websitebelvoir.com.au

Belvoir 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.[1]

Many Australian actors who have later found wider success both locally and internationally such as Deborah Mailman, Cate Blanchett, Jacqueline McKenzie, Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham, Toby Schmitz, Judy Davis and Brendan Cowell have appeared in Belvoir productions.[2]

History

Belvoir began, in 1984, with a unique action taken to save the Nimrod Theatre building. Two syndicates were established, 'Company A' with shares at $1000 each, which would own the building, and 'Company B', with shares at $10 each.[3] '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'.[4]

Belvoir was officially launched in February 1985.[3] 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'.[5] In the lead roles were Kerry Walker and John Gaden.[5][6] The theatre poster was designed by Martin Sharp.[3] Armfield later recalled that White, who had purchased ten shares in the theatre, was its 'greatest shareholder'.[5]

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.[7] This policy, which continued from 1985 to the end of the 2011 season,[8] prompted former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating to describe the Belvoir as 'Australia’s last commune'.[9]

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.[10]

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.'[8] In July 2014, Myers announced that he would be stepping down from his role at the end of the 2015 season.[11] Myers said he had 'an "ideological" commitment to the regular turnover of artistic directorships'.[11]

Also in 2011, Belvoir appointed Simon Stone as the first director-in-residence.[12] 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.[13] Stone resigned from his position in 2013,[12] and was replaced by dual directors-in-residence Adena Jacobs and Anne-Louise Sarks.[14]

In 2015 Myers was succeeded as Artistic Director by Eamon Flack.[15]

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.[16]

2021 season
  • Fangirls by Yve Blake, directed by Paige Rattray
  • Stop Girl by Sally Sara, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks
  • A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf, adapted & directed by Carissa Licciardello
  • The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov, directed by Eamon Flack
  • Miss Peony by Michelle Law, directed by Courtney Stewart
  • At What Cost? by Nathan Maynard, directed by Isaac Drandic

2020 season

(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 season

2018 season

2017 season

2016 season

2015 season
  • Radiance, by Louis Nowra, directed by Leah Purcell
  • Kill the Messenger, by Nakkiah Lui, directed by Anthea Williams
  • Blue Wizard, by Nick Coyle
  • Elektra / Orestes, by Jada Alberts and Anne-Louise Sarks, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks
  • The Wizard of Oz, adapted by Adena Jacobs
  • Samson, by Julia-Rose Lewis, directed by Kristine Landon-Smith
  • Mother Courage and Her Children, translated by Michael Gow, directed by Eamon Flack
  • The Dog / The Cat, by Lally Katz and Brendan Cowell, directed by Ralph Myers
  • Seventeen, by Matthew Whittet, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks
  • La Traviata, by Ash Flanders and Declan Greene, directed by Declan Greene
  • Ivanov, written and directed by Eamon Flack (after Chekhov)
  • Mortido, by Angela Betzien, directed by Leticia Caceres

2014 season
  • Oedipus Schmoedipus, created by Zoe Coombs-Marr, Mish Grigor and Natalie Rose
  • Once in Royal David’s City, by Michael Gow, directed by Eamon Flack
  • The Government Inspector, directed by Simon Stone starring Mitchell Butel.
  • 20 Questions, with Wesley Enoch
  • Cain And Abel, created by Kate Davis and Emma Valente, directed by Emma Valente
  • Brothers Wreck, by Jada Alberts, directed by Leah Purcell
  • Hedda Gabler, directed by Adena Jacobs
  • Nora, by Kit Brookman and Anne-Louise Sarks, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks
  • Oedipus Rex, directed by Adena Jacobs
  • The Glass Menagerie, directed by Eamon Flack
  • Is This Thing On?, by Zoe Coombs-Marr, directed by Kit Brookman and Zoe Coombs-Marr
  • A Christmas Carol, adapted by Benedict Hardie and Anne-Louise Sarks, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks
  • Cinderella, by Matthew Whittet, directed by Anthea Williams

2013 season
  • Peter Pan, adapted by Tommy Murphy, directed by Ralph Myers
  • This Heaven, by Nakkiah Lui, directed by Lee Lewis
  • Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, directed by Simon Stone
  • Stories I Want to Tell You in Person, written and performed by Lally Katz, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks
  • Forget Me Not, by Tom Holloway, directed by Anthea Williams
  • Angels in America Part One: Millennium Approaches
  • Angels in America Part Two: Perestroika, directed by Eamon Flack
  • Persona, adapted and directed by Adena Jacobs
  • The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe, written and directed by Ros Horin
  • Miss Julie, adapted by Simon Stone, directed by Leticia Caceres
  • Small and Tired, written and directed by Kit Brookman
  • Hamlet, directed by Simon Stone
  • The Cake Man, by Robert J. Merritt, directed by Kyle J. Morrison
  • Coranderrk, by Andrea James and Giordano Nanni, directed by Isaac Drandic

2012 season
  • Buried City, by Raimondo Cortese, conceived and directed by Alicia Talbot
  • I'm Your Man, creator and director Roslyn Oades
  • Thyestes, co-written by Thomas Henning, Chris Ryan, Simon Stone and Mark Winter after Seneca, directed by Simon Stone
  • Babyteeth, by Rita Kalnejais, director Eamon Flack
  • Every Breath, written and directed by Benedict Andrews
  • Food, by Steve Rodgers, directed by Kate Champion and Steve Rodgers
  • Strange Interlude, by Simon Stone after Eugene O'Neill, directed by Simon Stone
  • Old Man, by Matthew Whittet, directed by Anthea Williams
  • Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, directed by Simon Stone
  • Conversation Piece, choreographer and director Lucy Guerin
  • Private Lives, by Noël Coward, directed by Ralph Myers starring Toby Schmitz.
  • Medea, by Kate Mulvany and Anne-Louise Sarks after Euripides, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks
  • Beautiful One Day, created by Paul Dwyer, Eamon Flack, Rachael Maza and David Williams
  • Don't Take Your Love To Town, created by Eamon Flack and Leah Purcell, based on the book Don’t Take Your Love to Town by Ruby Langford Ginibi, directed by Leah Purcell

2011 season

2010 season

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".[17] 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.[17] Through the Priority Funded Schools Program Belvoir also allows selected students to attend some performances free of charge.[17] Limited student work experience and work placement opportunities are also available.[17]

References
  1. "Belvoir". Create NSW. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  2. "History & Past Productions". Belvoir St Theatre. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  3. Cousins, Robert (4 June 2011). "Belvoir St: coming of age". The Australian. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  4. Filmer, Andrew (6 July 2006). "A Place For Theatre: Performing at Belvoir Street". Backstage Space: The Place of the Performer (PDF). Department of Performance Studies, University of Sydney. p. 201. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  5. Armfield, Neil (2012). "Patrick White: A Centenary Tribute". Meanjin. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  6. Blake, Elissa (21 March 2009). "Never far from home". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  7. Schwartzkoff, Louise (21 February 2009). "The theatre company where nobody gets top billing". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  8. Boland, Michaela (16 September 2010). "Ralph Myers puts stamp on Belvoir St". The Australian. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  9. "Belvoir Annual Report 2011" (PDF). Belvoir St. Theatre. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  10. Jinman, Richard (26 July 2006). "Asbestos in the roof the latest drama at Belvoir Street". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  11. Blake, Elissa (22 July 2014). "Final curtain: Belvoir artistic director Ralph Myers to leave theatre company". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  12. Saxby, John (8 April 2013). "Director-in-residence leaves Belvoir home". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  13. Blake, Elissa (24 April 2012). "Award-winning Belvoir production chosen for Ibsen festival". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  14. Dow, Steven (9 April 2013). "Secret's out: Belvoir unveils a double bill". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  15. "Eamon Flack Appointed New Artistic Director". The Sydney Morning Herald. 14 November 2014.
  16. "2019 Nominees and Winners". Helpmann Awards.
  17. "Education at Belvoir". Belvoir St. Theatre. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
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