I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being. Oscar Wilde
2014
I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being. Oscar Wilde
2014 Season
From the Artistic Director
5
Upstairs Oedipus Schmoedipus 8 Once in Royal David’s City 10 The Philadelphia Story 12 Brother’s Wreck 14 Hedda Gabler 16 Nora 18 The Glass Menagerie 20 A Christmas Carol 22 20 Questions 24 Downstairs Cain and Abel 28 Oedipus Rex 30 Is This Thing On? 32 Cinderella 34 The Business End This Is Our Company Why You Should Subscribe Loyalty Program & 30-Down Club How to Book Sunday Forum General Information (Box Office hours, performance times) Thank You 2014 Season Calendars Subscription Booking Form
38 39 43 44 46 47 52 54
Hello friends,
So, here it is: our 2014 season book. It’s a ripper of a season I think. Browse away. But before you do, some introductions: you should meet our two new Resident Directors, Adena Jacobs and Anne-Louise Sarks. We’ve stolen them both from Melbourne (so many good people come from Melbourne). We scoured the country for the two brightest and most exciting young directors we could find. And what do you know? They were right under our noses, just south of the border. I’m so glad they’ve agreed to come onboard. Anyone who saw Sarks’ terrific Medea or Jacobs’ fantastic Persona here at Belvoir will know they are both enormously talented. They join Associate Director Eamon Flack (Angels in America) and Literary Manager and all-rounder Anthea Williams (Forget Me Not) to round out what has to be the hottest team of theatre-makers this side of The Globe. Plus, we’ve invited a swag of freelance artists into the tent to weave their magic: from Simon Stone to Leah Purcell, Michael Gow, Jada Alberts, Kit Brookman, Matthew Whittet to collectives The Rabble and post. It’s A HELL OF A LINE-UP.
And that’s not even mentioning the actors, the designers... so many great people. What I’m excited about is how different they all are. That’s one of the great joys of being an artistic director and curating a season. Juxtaposing tragedy with comedy, the intimate with the epic, the gentle with the rough and tumble. That is, in fact, the point. There is more than one way to skin a cat. There is no right way to make theatre, any more than there is a right way to paint a painting or write a love song. Everyone does it their own way. It strikes me that audiences – much like customers at a delicatessen – don’t care who made the sausage (or indeed how), provided it tastes good. In my limited experience with sausages (and theatre) it’s vastly preferable to not know what goes in. So, if you’re going to skin a cat and make it into a sausage, make sure you get great artists to do it. Right? Something like that! The stage is set for a thrilling year of theatrical delight. Now all you have to do is choose which shows to see. My tip? The lot! See you at the theatre. X Ralph 5
6
7
Upstairs
9 January – 2 February UPSTAIRS By post after Aeschylus, Anon, Artaud, Behn, Brecht, Büchner, Chekhov, Coward, Fo, Genet, Havel, Ibsen, Marlowe, Molière, O’Neill, Plautus, Racine, Seneca, Shakespeare, Shaw, Sophocles, Strindberg, Wedekind, Wilde et al
Dramaturg Anne-Louise Sarks Composer & Sound Designer James Brown
With Zoë Coombs Marr Mish Grigor A co-production with post presented in association with Sydney Festival
Oedipus Schmoedipus Welcome to 2014! First up, a democratic theatrical extravaganza two-and-a-halfthousand years in the making. Take several hundred of the greatest plays of all time, pick out the death scenes, mix them together (in a cunning and clever way) and then – well that’s a surprise… Oedipus Schmoedipus is a great big festival of shuffling-offthe-mortal-coil from Australia’s silliest/smartest theatre bunch: post. Their work is joyful and dark, stupid and smart, down-home and OTT. Oedipus Schmoedipus is their bid for theatre history – either to join it, or wreck it.
8
Fed up with white men staging the deaths of white men in plays written by white men, the white ladies from post have pirated the theatrical canon and turned over the juiciest stuff to seven hundred – that’s right, seven hundred! – collaborators. Death: it belongs to everyone! Want to be involved? Oedipus Schmoedipus will be looking for lots and lots and lots of volunteers – no skill level whatsoever required! Email oedipus@belvoir.com.au to register your interest.
Mish Grigor
8 February – 23 March Upstairs By Michael Gow Director Eamon Flack
Set & Lighting Designer Nick Schlieper Costume Designer Mel Page Composer Alan John
With Helen Buday Brendan Cowell Harry Greenwood Gillian Jones Lech Mackiewicz
Once in Royal David’s City Fierce and eloquent, playful, big-thinking, tender, furious – Michael Gow’s new play is an astonishing act of theatrical invention. Will Drummond is bewildered. All the old certainties are coming apart. His parents are suddenly old, theatre is not what it used to be, people around him are losing their minds and losing faith, the world is shrinking, and what does it even mean to live in a society any more? Then, suddenly, Will finds himself sitting by his mother’s bedside in a hospital room on the north coast
10
of New South Wales; his task is to turn bewilderment into clarity before it is too late. Once in Royal David’s City is big and small at once, tumbling from the fifties to the present, from West Berlin to Byron Bay, from brief encounters to the cycles of history. It is about mothers and sons, lost innocence, omnipresent death. It is about rage. It is about the brilliant possibilities of theatre. It is beautiful. Eamon Flack (Angels in America) directs.
Brendan Cowell
27 March – 18 May Upstairs Created by Simon Stone based on the play by Philip Barry Director Simon Stone
With Zahra Newman A co-production with Malthouse Theatre
Set Designer Ralph Myers Lighting Designer Paul Jackson
The Philadelphia Story Tracy Samantha Lord Haven is rich and smart and famous and she is getting married to George Kittredge. C.K. Dexter Haven is her exhusband and he has invited himself to the wedding. Macaulay Conner is the journalist C.K. Dexter Haven has brought with him to document the nuptial lead-up. As it’s a comedy you can be sure it ends with a wedding… but who will Tracy Samantha Lord Haven marry?
12
The Philadelphia Story is a first-class screwball-type midsummer night’s pre-marital freakout comedy. Its dialogue simmers with winks and nods and verbal parries, its characters are fabulous, its plot is a lesson in the craft, and the cast and creatives of this production are going to have a ball. Join them. Simon Stone and co turn a radical new lens on this effervescent Hollywood classic about love and celebrity and love and f**king up in public and love and excess... with some extra love thrown in for good measure.
Zahra Newman
24 May – 22 June UPSTAIRS By Jada Alberts Director Leah Purcell With Cramer Cain Lisa Flanagan Rarriwuy Hick Hunter Page-Lochard Bjorn Stewart
Indigenous Theatre at Belvoir supported by The Balnaves Foundation
Brother’s Wreck This beautiful little play is about life. It begins with a death: on a hot morning under a house in Darwin, Ruben wakes to find his cousin Joe hanging from the rafters. The play that follows tells the story of how Ruben’s family, little by little, brings Ruben back from the edge. Balnaves Award-winner Jada Alberts has been a quiet, steady presence around the country for a good few years now – acting, writing, making. She is one of a growing group of young
14
Indigenous artists who have looked to each other as much as they have to their elders, and her play emerges from the gathering voices of this new generation. Leah Purcell directs this very alert, very human play about how many other people it takes for each of us to live.
Rarriwuy Hick
28 June – 3 August uPstairs Adapted from the play by Henrik Ibsen Director Adena Jacobs
Lighting Designer Danny Pettingill Composer Kelly Ryall
Set Designer Dayna Morrissey
With Ash Flanders
Hedda Gabler After the Broadway premiere of Hedda Gabler in 1902, one reviewer wrote of its extraordinary heroine: ‘Degenerate, selfish, morbid, cruel, bitter, jealous, something of a visionary, something of a lunatic.’ Hedda Gabler is trapped inside a conventional life: she married the scholar George Tesman. But money is short, Tesman’s old rival Ejlert Lövborg has turned up again, Judge Brack is visiting with alarming regularity, and Hedda Gabler’s volcanic boredom is reaching its limits. So begins a dangerous game of finding purpose in a purposeless existence.
16
Belvoir’s new Resident Director Adena Jacobs has an uncanny ability to uncover the torrents of instinct that run beneath the routines of modern living. Ash Flanders is a man who has made an artform out of playing tragic heroines. Their Hedda Gabler will be a primal close-up of Ibsen’s electrifying marriage tragedy.
17 Ash Flanders
9 August – 14 September Upstairs By Kit Brookman and Anne-Louise Sarks after A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen Director Anne-Louise Sarks
Set Designer Marg Horwell Costume Designer Mel Page Lighting Designer Paul Jackson
Composer Kelly Ryall With Blazey Best
Nora Nora Helmer is one of those iconic fictional characters who has taken on a life of her own. In 1879, at the end of Henrik Ibsen’s new play A Doll’s House, she did the unthinkable: she walked out the front door of the house she lived in with her husband and children, slammed the door behind her, and left. In 2014, Nora’s dilemma remains the same: how much will a woman put up with and why? And what is the alternative? Kit Brookman and Anne-Louise Sarks’ update of Ibsen’s resounding play sets Nora’s story here and now, beginning with Ibsen’s tale and then following Nora out the door and into the new life we all suppose is possible for a tough-minded woman in these equitable modern times…
18
Sarks makes theatre from theatre. Her stunning reworking of Medea at Belvoir in 2012 swept up awards everywhere and set a new standard for rethinking classics. Now Sarks begins her tenure as Resident Director with a show about power and freedom.
Blazey Best
20 September – 2 November Upstairs By Tennessee Williams Director Eamon Flack
Lighting Designer Damien Cooper Composer & Sound Designer Stefan Gregory
With Luke Mullins Pamela Rabe
The Glass Menagerie Tennessee Williams invented a new kind of theatre with The Glass Menagerie. It introduced the first in a line of legendary Williams women – towering dreamers fighting for their lives – and its formal inventiveness paved the way for the great American dream plays like Death of a Salesman and Angels in America. It is also a scathing self-portrait of the young Tennessee: homosexual, poet, liar, truth-teller.
20
Amanda Wingfield is a single mother. Her son Tom works in a warehouse, her daughter Laura is studying to become a secretary. The three of them live in a small apartment pent up with fantasies and urges and rage and wounded tenderness. It is not a magnificent existence, but each of them has one true idea for a better life. Enter the Gentleman Caller… Eamon Flack directs Luke Mullins (Angels in America) and the great Pamela Rabe.
Luke Mullins
8 November – 24 December Upstairs By Charles Dickens Director Anne-Louise Sarks
Set Designer Michael Hankin Costume Designer Mel Page Composer & Sound Designer Stefan Gregory
With Peter Carroll Robert Menzies Kath Tonkin
A Christmas Carol I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book to raise the Ghost of an Idea which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it. Their faithful Friend and Servant, C. D. 1843. The most famous miser of all misers – and there are a lot of misers out there! – is Ebenezer Scrooge. Caught in the great grind for money, he forgets to live a shared life – until one Christmas night when something utterly, famously un-money happens to the old bastard…
22
A Christmas Carol is one of the all-time most wonderful stories of redemption and awakening. All of us are Scrooge in some way: holding on to things. Given the chance to step back from our lives we would see how much is meaningless and inconsequential. This show is about having a second chance. It is about how precious the life we have left is. It is about finding joy in those around us. Joy! Anne-Louise Sarks and a cast of marvels stage Charles Dickens’ supreme book of kindness.
Robert Menzies
mondays only 7 April – 11 August Upstairs Hosted by Wesley Enoch Featuring the very best Indigenous artists
Indigenous Theatre at Belvoir supported by The Balnaves Foundation
Special Event
20 Questions Every blackfella has a story. 20 Questions is a cabaret and a talkshow rolled into one. It works like this: each night a new mystery guest from the exemplary roll-call of Indigenous performers is asked 20 questions. The questions are the same every night, but the answers will be very different. The idea is that out of this simple set-up comes a big, rich modern dreaming of story and song – and a better understanding of how much more there is still to tell. That great professional asker-ofgood-questions Wesley Enoch hosts an extraordinary line-up of guests including Jada Alberts, Lisa Maza, Rachael Maza, David Page, Leah Purcell, Miranda Tapsell and Ursula Yovich. Because this show only plays on Mondays, tickets are extremely limited. If you really want to see this show (and you will) get your subscription in early! 24
Wesley Enoch
26
Downstairs
27
15 May – 8 June downstairs Created by Kate Davis & Emma Valente Director Emma Valente
Set & Costume Designer Kate Davis Lighting & Sound Designer Emma Valente
With Dana Miltins Mary Helen Sassman A co-production with The Rabble
Cain and Abel And while they were in the field Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Genesis 4 The biblical story of Cain and Abel is the story of the first act of violence – an act that ricocheted across millennia and divided civilisations. It is the genesis of a vision of history as man on man, brother on brother, blood on the earth. Cain and Abel is a show about violence and reinventing history, made by women. Melbourne theatre-makers The Rabble are a law unto themselves, and it’s thrilling to see.
28
Their method is basically to take a big idea, lock themselves in a room, and make a piece of theatre. The big idea here is the tale from Genesis and its many iterations – Milton and Byron, Baudelaire and Baby Jane. After the knock-out success of Orlando and The Story of O in Melbourne, Cain and Abel is the next installment in The Rabble’s assault on the great stories of Western civilisation.
Mary Helen Sassman
21 August – 14 September downstairs Director Adena Jacobs
Oedipus Rex This is a very new version of a very old play. Why do generations of artists feel compelled to retell old stories again and again, like that of King Oedipus and his unfortunate parents? A plague has stricken the city. King Oedipus vows to take action. And so, most innocently, he enters a nightmarish quest for the truth – one which unleashes the most monstrous and shocking undercurrents of his own identity. Oedipus Rex is a raw dream of the past and the future. It is a visionary, brutal and mystifying account of what it means to be human. It gets right to the heart of our most primal longings and fears. In the intimacy of the Downstairs Theatre, Adena Jacobs casts a wildly modern eye over theatre’s most complex, ancient myth. 30
2 October – 26 October Downstairs By Zoë Coombs Marr Director Kit Brookman
Is This Thing On? Brianna is a stand-up comedian. This is her life: an unfortunate name, a boring childhood, slow self-realisation, a late comingout. Drink. Standing in smelly rooms with strange men who all tell the same jokes. Vomiting on stage. Carrying on anyway. Is there a reason? Probably not. Just a way of coping with your own mediocrity. Whose life is this anyway? Zoë Coombs Marr’s brilliant new play is a portrait of a life in a comedy routine. Well, five overlapping comedy routines,
32
from five Briannas at different ages, performed by five foolhardy actresses. It is funny. And it is not funny. It is about being funny when funny is all you have. Is This Thing On? is a kind of Don Quixote for the female comic – a magnificent and stupid quest for one shining moment of specialness which may have already happened.
33 Zoë Coombs Marr
13 November – 7 December Downstairs By Matthew Whittet Original Concept by Anthea Williams Director Anthea Williams With Matthew Whittet
Cinderella What happens when two nervous jerks play out one of the great tales of all time? The theatrically invincible Matt Whittet (The Book of Everything) joins forces with director Anthea Williams (Forget Me Not, Old Man) for a rather grown-up, though sometimes infantile, race to the bottom of human dignity in the pursuit of love. Like the original, this is a story about how ugly ugly people can be, and how ugly beautiful people can be too. And it is the story of how love can be found in the strangest places. Two marvellous clowns play every role in a marvellous tale of love and transformation. PS. When a man and a woman do finally fall in love, children may result. But they should not be brought to this particular show.
34
Matthew Whittet
36
37
Subscribe
This Is Our Company
When the theatre in an old tomato sauce factory at 25 Belvoir Street was threatened with redevelopment in 1984, more than 600 people – passionate lovers and makers of theatre – formed a syndicate to buy the building and save it. It was an act of love, to theatre and to our city. Thirty years later, Belvoir is still going strong – producing fresh, dynamic and challenging work here in Surry Hills. Belvoir has nurtured the finest theatrical talents in this country – actors, writers, directors, designers and arts workers. We fill our two beautiful theatres year-round with performances that are visionary, bold and risky. We love playing at our home in Surry Hills but our work also goes further afield to regional Australia, other capital cities and to overseas
38
festivals and venues. Australian artists are fantastic cultural ambassadors and we are pleased to play our part. We believe in the intrinsic value of theatre and in its power to change our society for the better. But theatre is ephemeral. Our productions burn bright, and then they’re gone. So you have to be there to catch them. Join us in 2014 for another year of great theatre.
And This Is Why You Should Subscribe 1. Guaranteed seats
Lots of our shows sell out. By subscribing, you’ll ensure you have seats for all the hottest shows in town. You are guaranteed the best available seats to every show.
2. Discounted tickets
Now that we’ve convinced you, read on for even more reasons and the nitty-gritty on how to subscribe. And if you subscribe by 6pm Friday 1 November 2013 you could win a fabulous trip to an international destination of your choice!
You can save up to 35% of the usual ticket price. The more shows you see the more money you’ll save.
Turn the page to find out more.
3. Book now then forget about it
Do the work now and relax for the rest of the year, knowing that you’ve got a diary full of top-notch theatre to enjoy. In fact, we can do most of the work for you. See How to Book Your Subscription on p44.
4. We shower you with love
We’ve created our Sunday Forums, our annual magazine and lots of other extras for our subscribers. We want to look after you, so if you need to change your tickets we’ll do our best to accommodate you. And after four years it gets better; our loyalty program gives you even more good things.
5. Free stuff
Being a subscriber could land you a free drink, a free ticket or even a free book! And we’ve got a raft of exclusive benefits for you from lots of other companies too.
39
Even More Reasons to Subscribe Be at the front of the queue If you were a 2013 subscriber your 2014 renewal will be processed first, if you renew your subscription by 6pm Tuesday 24 September 2013. Ticket offers and pre-sale period When you book your subscription you can purchase additional tickets at a discounted price to all Belvoir performances both Upstairs and Downstairs to bring along family and friends. And when tickets go on general sale throughout the year, you can buy tickets one week before non-subscribers. 30-Down Club If you’re aged 30 or under we’d love you to join our 30-Down Club. We give you heavily discounted tickets and you can choose to see previews or Wednesday (including matinee) performances or Friday performances. Read all about the club and get the prices on p43. Save on programs You can save on pre-purchased programs for shows in the Upstairs Theatre when you complete your subscription form. Program vouchers will be sent with your tickets.
Free stuff! A free book As a subscriber you automatically get $10 off the RRP of our beautiful coffee table book, 25 Belvoir Street (pay only $67 plus postage). And if you introduce a friend to subscribe to Belvoir for the first time this year, we will give you a free copy. A free ticket If you were a subscriber in 2013 and we receive your 2014 subscription form for an Upstairs Theatre package of 7 plays or more before 6pm Friday 1 November 2013 we will give you one free ticket to a performance you are attending, so you can introduce someone new to Belvoir. More details on the form. Free ticket exchange If your plans change, not a problem. As long as our Box Office receives your original tickets 48 hours before your booked performance, we’ll exchange your tickets for another performance of the same play, at no cost. Please note: this applies to your first exchange for each play only and is subject to availability. Subsequent ticket exchanges may incur a fee. Free drinks If you’re joining Belvoir for the first time, we’d like to welcome you with a free drink – a voucher will be sent with your tickets. And if you are part of our Loyalty Program you’ll enjoy discounted drinks with every show, see p43 for details. Our annual magazine – Interval We’ll send you our complimentary mid-year magazine, brimming with artist interviews, company and program updates, articles and news about upcoming shows.
40
Fabulous Prizes for Early Subscribers Send us your 2014 subscription form before 6pm Friday 1 November 2013 and you could win…
A trip for two
Two return economy-class flights to an international destination of your choice, up to the value of $4,000.
Or these great prizes… Art Gallery of NSW membership A one-year joint membership for two people, which includes two tickets to the current exhibition, a subscription to Look magazine, free exhibition viewings and a range of gallery discounts. Bishop Sessa dinner A dinner for two at this Surry Hills restaurant, to the value of $200. A case of Cellarmasters wine Twelve bottles of premium Australian red wines, including wines made by industry legends Nigel Dolan and David Lowe. Valued at $361. Dendy Lounge package One Dendy Lounge package for two people, including two Club Dendy one-year adult memberships, tickets to the Dendy Lounge Newtown and main meal for two with a glass of wine. Valued at $130. Museum of Contemporary Art memberships One of two dual memberships to the Museum of Contemporary Art valued at $120 each, including unlimited free entry to all paid exhibitions; 10% discount at the MCA store, café and restaurant; subscription to Art Matters; unlimited WiFi access within MCA; and more.
Opera Australia tickets Two Premium reserve tickets (or best available) to an opera of your choice at the Sydney Opera House in 2014. Offer excludes opening night performances and matinees, and is subject to availability. Stays in the Vines A three-night mid-week stay for up to ten guests in one of the Stays in the Vines unique country house properties in the heart of the Hunter Valley wine country. Prize includes a gourmet cheese platter and private wine tasting at your property, as well as 12 bottles of premium Hunter Valley wine. Valued at approx. $3,000. Sydney Festival Multipass One prize of two multipacks, comprising two tickets to three Sydney Festival events that fall within the multipack offer. Subject to availability at the time of booking. Sydney Film Festival passes One of three Flexi 10 passes. Valued at $137 each. Winners will be drawn at random on Monday 25 November 2013 and notified by phone. Names of winners will be published for prizes valued at over $500. NSW Permit Number LTPS/13/06241
41
Friends with Benefits
These friends of Belvoir provide our subscribers with exclusive discounts. Use your 2014 subscriber card to take advantage of them.
Art Gallery of NSW
Save $10 on new Art Gallery Society memberships and receive one free exhibition ticket on registration (not including students or renewals).
Berkelouw Books
Receive 10% off all new and secondhand books, as well as fine stationary, leather goods and other gifts at all Berkelouw stores. Discounts do not apply to antiquarian books and previously discounted stock.
Dendy Cinemas
Join or renew a Club Dendy membership for half price. Membership includes the best value movie tickets all year round, the opportunity to attend members’ only screenings and events, and lots more.
Griffin Theatre Company
Pay only $45 for tickets to Griffin’s Main Season.
Love Supreme
Dine at this Paddington restaurant and receive a special treat with your meal.
Pacific Magazines
Enjoy up to 50% discount on a range of Pacific magazines including Feast, marie claire, Better Homes and Gardens, Home Beautiful, InStyle, Women’s Health and more.
42
The Devonshire
Order the eight-course degustation menu at this Surry Hills restaurant and receive complimentary matching wine to the value of $40. Valid Tuesdays and Wednesdays only.
The Monthly magazine
With every purchase of a print subscription (which includes free online and digital access) receive a complimentary six-month digital subscription to give to a friend (value $24.95). A digital subscription includes access to all content at themonthly.com.au, the eBook and the app in the iTunes store.
We Reward Loyalty
30-Down Club
We recognise the special commitment shown by our patrons who have been subscribers for four or more consecutive years. This support is the lifeblood of Belvoir.
If you’re aged 30 or under you’re on our radar and we have a club just for you. We want you to see as much theatre as possible so we’ve created excellent packages and prices to get you along. As part of the 30-Down Club you can choose to see:
To say thank you, we offer special treats to all of our Treasured, Devoted and Loyal subscribers. If you renew your subscription for 2014 you will receive a Belvoir 2014 Season key ring entitling you to a $1 discount on all your wine, beer and soft drink purchased at Belvoir St Theatre’s Hal Bar; and you can purchase our calico Belvoir bags for only $3 each. Plus if you introduce a friend to subscribe to Belvoir for the first time, we will give you a free copy of our beautiful coffee table book, 25 Belvoir Street (RRP $77). Throughout the year you will also receive invitations to these exclusive events: Treasured Subscribers (10+ consecutive years) Invitations to a Dendy Cinemas film screening, a Berkelouw Books special event and a chance to participate in a special Belvoir backstage tour. Devoted Subscribers (7–9 consecutive years) Invitations to a Dendy Cinemas film screening and a Berkelouw Books special event. Loyal Subscribers (4–6 consecutive years) Invitation to a Dendy Cinemas film screening.
Previews Wednesday matinees Wednesday evenings Friday evenings You not only get great prices, ongoing benefits and discounts for a year (see p42) and a chance to win fabulous prizes (see p41), you also get to see our country’s best actors in action. UPSTAIRS THEATRE 9 plays
$ 299
$ 33.22 per play
8 plays
$ 282
$ 35.25 per play
7 plays
$ 261
$ 37.29 per play
6 plays
$ 236
$ 39.33 per play
5 plays
$ 209
$ 41.80 per play
DOWNSTAIRS THEATRE 4 plays
$ 125
$ 31.25 per play
THE LOT 13 plays $ 377
$ 29 per play
To join the 30-Down Club you must send proof of age with your booking form.
43
How to Book Your Subscription Online at belvoir.com.au – use our online booking form for a fast and easy electronic subscription. There’s also a PDF version of the form on the website, which you can download.
Were you a subscriber in 2013? Use the personalised booking form sent with your 2014 season book and we’ll process your form more quickly and track your Loyalty Program status.
Or complete the booking form at the back of this book, then mail, fax or drop it back to our Box Office. You can scan and email your form to mail@belvoir.com.au.
Choose your package UPSTAIRS THEATRE Plays
Full price
Seniors*
Concession†
30-Down
(Save up to $ 160)
(Save up to $ 115)
(Save up to $ 115)
(Save up to $ 133)
9
$ 452
$ 407
$ 317
$ 299
8
$ 436
$ 382
$ 306
$ 282 $ 261
7
$ 408
$ 359
$ 289
6
$ 371
$ 329
$ 266
$ 236
5
$ 310
$ 278
$ 230
$ 209
Full price
Seniors*
Concession†
30-Down
(Save $ 22)
(Save $ 18)
(Save $ 17)
(Save $ 27)
$ 170
$ 150
$ 135
$ 125
DOWNSTAIRS THEATRE Plays 4
THE LOT – All 13 Plays Plays 13
Full price
Seniors*
Concession†
30-Down
(Save $ 238)
(Save $ 171)
(Save $ 161)
(Save $ 207)
$ 566
$ 519
$ 423
$ 377
* Seniors prices are available with an eligible Australian Government-issued Seniors card. † Concession prices are available with a full-time student card, all Centrelink Pensioner concession cards and Veterans’ Affairs cards. To claim any concessions or to join the 30-Down Club you must send proof with your booking form. 44
Let us do all the work If you are subscribing to all 13 plays OR 9 plays Upstairs OR 4 plays Downstairs, you can just choose your preferred day of the week and we’ll do all the work for you. We’ll pick the dates but you are free to change them if you need to. It’s that easy. If you want to choose fewer plays but are still flexible with dates, let us know your preferred day, eg “any Saturday at 2pm”, and we’ll choose the dates and give you the best available seats. Again, you are free to change the dates if you need to. Previews & opening nights The first two or three dates of each season are preview performances that you are welcome to book into (please check performance times as these can vary). Opening nights are always by invitation only and cannot be booked as part of your subscription. Please check dates on the calendars on pp54-56. Special assistance If you have any special seating, audio or accessibility requests, or if you are interested in our captioned or audiodescribed performances, please attach a note to your booking form. We’ll do all that we can to accommodate you. See p48 for more accessibility information. How we process your booking form All subscription renewals received before 6pm Tuesday 24 September 2013 will be processed first, after which all forms will be processed strictly in order of receipt. It takes 4–6 weeks for subscriptions to be processed. Seat availability We always seat our patrons in the very best available seats; the seats you are allocated in the Upstairs Theatre depend on when we receive your subscription, the popularity of the production and the day of the week. We’re also limited by the size of our theatre, but rest assured we always give you the best possible seats. The seating plan for the Upstairs Theatre is on our website.
Please check Please double check you’ve fully completed all sections of your booking form. This is really important. How to submit your form Don’t forget to include proof if you are purchasing senior, concession or 30-Down subscriptions. Online – carefully complete all the relevant fields in the online subscription form, double check your details, then submit. You’ll receive an email confirmation. Mail your completed hard copy form and cheque (payable to Belvoir) or credit card details to: 2014 Season – Belvoir 18 Belvoir St Surry Hills NSW 2010 Fax your completed form (with credit card details) to: 02 9698 3688. Drop your form in with payment during Box Office hours (p47 for opening times).
And just before you finish… Gift certificates A Belvoir subscription is a lovely gift idea – any of our packages will warm the heart of your loved ones! A 30-Down subscription is a really great way to give a young person the life-changing experience of regularly attending live theatre. Give our Box Office staff a call on 02 9699 3444 for info on how to purchase gift certificates. Philanthropy is a great thing The price you pay covers only 39% of the true cost of your seat. An optional tax-deductible donation can be made on your booking form. With your support we can continue to create the kind of theatre that you love and that has inspired audiences across the world! Also, we urge you to support the Actors’ Benevolent Fund charity by donating an additional 50 cents per ticket when you fill out your booking form. Please visit actorsbenevolentfund.org.au for more information.
45
Sunday Forum
Good theatre makes you feel. It can also make you think. Sometimes you’re left thinking about it well after you’ve left the theatre. You want to know more; about the play, its ideas, its history or how it came about. If so then our Sunday Forums are for you. We hold a forum for each of our Upstairs performances. Each is different and tackles a specific aspect of the production. It might be a lecture, a discussion or a demonstration. One might take a look at the broader social context of a play. Another might focus on how a show was created. After the forum you have a chance to ask questions of the panellists, meet your fellow audience members and continue the discussion informally with us in the foyer. Sunday Forums are free. It’s best to see the show before you come because we’re bound to spoil the ending! Check our website or call Box Office to find out who will appear on each panel and what the topic of discussion will be. See you there! Although tickets are free, bookings are essential and are open several weeks before each forum. Book online at belvoir.com.au/ sundayforum or call Box Office on 02 9699 3444.
46
Tweet while you listen (or follow online) using #sundayforum Oedipus Schmoedipus 3pm, 2 February Once in Royal David’s City 3pm, 23 March The Philadelphia Story 3pm, 18 May Brother’s Wreck 3pm, 22 June Hedda Gabler 3pm, 3 August Nora 3pm, 14 September The Glass Menagerie 3pm, 2 November A Christmas Carol 3pm, 21 December
General Information
Belvoir St Theatre 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills NSW 2010 Subscriptions 02 8396 6290 Box Office 02 9699 3444 Box Office fax 02 9698 3688 Administration 02 9698 3344 Admin fax 02 9319 3165 mail@belvoir.com.au belvoir.com.au
Box Office hours
Please note: 20 Questions will play in the Upstairs Theatre on Mondays from 7 April to 11 August. Home before dark If you like to be home before dark there are performances on Saturdays at 2pm and 2.15pm. There are also Wednesday matinees for Oedipus Schmoedipus. If you want to see a show and be home earlier in the evening there are shows at 6.30pm and 7pm on Tuesdays, and 5pm and 5.15pm on Sundays.
Monday 9.30am – 6pm Tuesday 9.30am – 6.30pm Wednesday to Saturday 9.30am – 8pm Sunday 2.30pm – 5pm
Previews & opening nights
Please note these hours may change during non-performance periods and on public holidays. Phone bookings close one hour prior to performance times.
Location and transport
Performance times Upstairs Theatre Tuesday 6.30pm Wednesday* to Friday 8pm Saturday** 2pm & 8pm Sunday 5pm^
Downstairs Theatre Tuesday 7pm Wednesday to Friday 8.15pm Saturday 2.15pm & 8.15pm Sunday 5.15pm *Also Wednesday 4pm matinees for Oedipus Schmoedipus.
Belvoir St Theatre is in Surry Hills, a five-minute walk from Central Station. Buses travel along Chalmers and Elizabeth Streets. For public transport information, call the Transport Infoline on 131 500 or visit 131500.com.au. Parking There is NO onsite parking, and limited timed parking is available on the streets around the theatre. We encourage you to use public transport.
central station
belvoir admin
clisd ell s t
We have two Box Office locations: at Belvoir St Theatre (25 Belvoir St) and at our administration warehouse (18 Belvoir St). The Box Office is open at either one of these locations depending on the time and day – please check via phone or website, and there are also signs at the front door of both buildings.
Previews are bookable but opening nights are not! Please see more information on p45.
belvoir st theatre
goodlet st
**All Saturday matinees for Oedipus Schmoedipus will play at 4pm. Sunday previews play at 6.30pm.
^
47
General Information
Eating and drinking
Silver Spoon Caterers provide delicious pre-theatre meals from 90 minutes prior to each performance (except matinees and Sundays) at Belvoir St Theatre. Wraps and ice-creams are also available during the interval. Come early and enjoy your food with a drink from the Hal Bar. See our website for menus and wine lists. Belvoir also has several restaurant partners in Surry Hills who we recommend for pre- and post-show drinks and dining. Visit our website for dining information: belvoir.com.au/foodanddrink.
Unwaged performances
We invite unwaged members of the community to attend a free-of-charge 2pm Thursday matinee performance of each Upstairs production in our season. Patrons must hold an eligible Pensioner, Health Care Card, Veterans’ Affairs Card, MEAA or Equity Card to claim a complimentary ticket. Seniors and Seniors Health Cards are not valid. Visit our Box Office in person from 12 noon on the day of the performance – see the calendar on pp54–55 for dates. Full info can be found on our website at belvoir.com.au/unwagedprogram. Note: The unwaged performance of Oedipus Schmoedipus will be at 4pm.
Accessibility
We cater for a range of accessibility needs. Belvoir St Theatre has lift access to the foyer and theatre, and a hearing loop in the Upstairs Theatre (E–J rows, centre). In conjunction with Vision Australia we provide audio-described performances. For hearing impaired patrons we provide a mobile device captioned service, generously funded by City of Sydney. If you have specific 48
accessibility or seating requirements, please do not hesitate to contact our Box Office on 02 9699 3444. Further information about all our accessibility services can be found on our website at belvoir.com.au/access. Audio-described (AD) and captioned (CAP) performances All are on Saturdays at 2pm. Once in Royal David’s City AD 8 March / CAP 15 March Hedda Gabler CAP 19 July / AD 26 July The Glass Menagerie CAP 25 October A Christmas Carol AD 29 November / CAP 20 December
Programs
You can buy programs at Belvoir from the Box Office, the Hal Bar or you can pre-order your programs when you subscribe and save. Did you know that some of our programs come with the full script included (Upstairs new works and adaptations) and our Downstairs programs are free? All programs come with biographies, headshots, rehearsal photos, writer and director notes and some contain extra articles and other content. Back issues for recent productions are also available online at belvoir.com.au/programs.
Swearing, nudity and other bits
Some of our productions may contain strong language, nudity, violence, smoking, strobe lighting, haze or other things you may find confronting or uncomfortable. If you are concerned about any of these please ask our Box Office staff about content when booking.
Tickets (non-subscription) General release tickets for each show go on sale at Belvoir throughout the year as the shows approach. On-sale dates are on each production’s page on our website: belvoir.com.au. The grid below shows the non-subscription ticket prices. Remember: if you are a subscriber, you are entitled to purchase additional tickets at a discounted price for all Belvoir performances, so you can bring along family and friends. And when tickets go on general sale for shows throughout the year, as a subscriber you can purchase them one week before non-subscribers.
UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS
Full Price
$ 68
$ 48
Subscriber Discounted Rate
$ 62
$ 45
Seniors*/Industry/Groups (10 or more)
$ 58
$ 42
Concession†/Wednesday Matinee Groups (10 or more)
$ 48
$ 38
Previews
$ 48
$ 38
Student RushII
$ 35
$ 25
* Seniors prices are available with an eligible Australian Government-issued Seniors card. † Concession prices are available with a full-time student card, all Centrelink Pensioner concession cards and Veterans’ Affairs cards. II Student Rush available Tuesday 6.30pm and 7pm and Saturday 2pm, 2.15pm and 4pm performances, from 10am on the day subject to availability. To claim any concessions you must provide proof. Please note: transaction fees may apply and prices may be subject to change. Ticket prices may also vary when our productions play at other venues.
49
The Balnaves Foundation Supporting the presentation of Brother’s Wreck and 20 Questions in 2014.
The Balnaves Foundation is a private philanthropic organisation that was established in 2006 by Neil Balnaves AO to provide support to charitable enterprises across Australia. It supports eligible organisations that aim to create a better Australia through education, medicine and the arts with a focus on young people, the disadvantaged and Indigenous communities. The Balnaves Foundation has been funding Belvoir’s Indigenous theatre program since 2011. Each year the Foundation provides the financial underpinning for Belvoir to present two Indigenous works. A range of access programs is attached to the productions, including an unwaged performance and schools matinees. Showing its commitment to Indigenous work at Belvoir, The Balnaves Foundation has supported our productions of Jack Charles vs The Crown, Windmill Baby, Beautiful One Day, Don’t Take Your Love to Town, The Cake Man and Coranderrk. In 2014 the Foundation will support Brother’s Wreck and 20 Questions.
50
In addition, 2014 represents the third year of the annual Balnaves Foundation Indigenous Playwright’s Award – a $20,000 award comprising $7,500 prize money and a $12,500 commission for a new play. Belvoir has a long history of working with Indigenous artists including writers, directors, designers and actors, and of portraying unique Indigenous stories. Under Artistic Director Ralph Myers we continue our commitment to presenting significant Indigenous works and engaging Indigenous artists at Belvoir in both our Upstairs and Downstairs Theatres. Belvoir extends our warmest thanks to The Balnaves Foundation for its ongoing support.
Support Belvoir
Did you know that the average price of a ticket to a Belvoir show covers only 39% of the true cost of your seat? To help us make up the difference and ensure we can consistently deliver top-notch theatre, we rely on a dedicated group of individuals – our donors. Their support allows us to facilitate our community access programs, nurture emerging artists and create the kind of theatre that inspires audiences both here in Australia and around the world. Our donors enjoy the deepest possible relationship with Belvoir, our artists and our work. To find out how you can become one, and the different ways you can support all that we do, get in touch with our Development team on 02 8396 6209 or development@belvoir.com.au.
51
Thanks to Our Sponsors
IT Partner
Media Partners
Major Sponsors
Supporters
Indigenous Theatre at Belvoir supported by The Balnaves Foundation
Andrew Cameron Family Foundation Besen Family Foundation Coca-Cola Australia Foundation Copyright Agency Cultural Fund Gandevia Foundation
Associate Sponsors
Goldman Sachs The Greatorex Foundation Street Promotions Australia
BOUTIQUE ACCOMMODATION
Teen Spirit Charitable Foundation Thomas Creative
Event Sponsors Government Partners
Silver Spoon Caterers
For more information on partnership opportunities please contact our Development team on 02 9698 3344 or development@belvoir.com.au
52
Thank You Our production partners Malthouse Theatre, post, Sydney Festival, THE RABBLE.
Oedipus Schmoedipus is supported by the Australia Council for the Arts, the Australian Government’s arts funding and advisory body, and by the NSW Government through Arts NSW. It has been developed in the CultureLAB with the assistance of Arts Victoria and the City of Melbourne through Arts House. Oedipus Schmoedipus was developed and presented at the World Theatre Festival 2013, Brisbane Powerhouse. post is supported by Managing and Producing Services (MAPS for Artists) NSW – a joint initiative of the Australia Council, the Australian Government’s arts funding and advisory body, and the NSW Government through Arts NSW. MAPS NSW is managed by Performing Lines. The Glass Menagerie is presented by special arrangement with The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee. The 2014 season book and launch would not have been possible without the valued contribution of: Emily Barclay, Blazey Best, Zoë Coombs Marr, Brendan Cowell, Wesley Enoch, Ash Flanders, Harry Greenwood, Mish Grigor, Rarriwuy Hick, Marty Jamieson, Robert Menzies, Luke Mullins, Zahra Newman, Pamela Rabe, Mary Helen Sassman, Bjorn Stewart, Matthew Whittet. Art Gallery of NSW, Berkelouw Books, Bishop Sessa, Cellarmasters, Tom Cramond, Dendy Cinemas, Brooke Farah and The Kitchen, Griffin Theatre Company, Love Supreme, Museum of Contemporary Art, Opera Australia, Pacific Magazines, Picket Studio, Stays in the Vines, Sydney Festival, Sydney Film Festival, The Devonshire, The Monthly magazine, Vini. Special thank you to the talented and ever-patient Alphabet Studio and the Belvoir Marketing team.
Printer & mailing house immij Design Alphabet Studio Photography Gary Heery Hair & make-up Naomi McFadden, The paper used in this book is derived from forests promoting Nadine Monley, Kylie O’Toole sustainable management. 53
2014 Season Calendar Upstairs Theatre
Oedipus Schmoedipus
9 JAN – 2 FEB
Previews (bookable) 9, 10 January Opening night (invitation only) 11 January Wednesday matinees (4pm) 15, 22 January Unwaged performance (4pm) 30 January Sunday Forum 2 February
Once in Royal David’s City
8 FEB – 23 mar
Previews (bookable) 8, 9, 11 February Opening night (invitation only) 12 February Audio-described performance 8 March Captioned performance 15 March Unwaged performance 20 March Sunday Forum 23 March
The Philadelphia Story
27 mar – 18 may
Previews (bookable) 27, 28, 29 March Opening night (invitation only) 30 March Unwaged performance 24 April Sunday Forum 18 May
Brother’s Wreck
24 may – 22 jun
Previews (bookable) 24, 25, 27 May Opening night (invitation only) 28 May Unwaged performance 19 June Sunday Forum 22 June
Hedda Gabler
28 jun – 3 aug
Previews (bookable) 28, 29 June, 1 July Opening night (invitation only) 2 July Unwaged performance 10 July Captioned performance 19 July Audio-described performance 26 July Sunday Forum 3 August 54
JANUARY M T W 1 6 7 8 13 14 15 20 21 22 27 28 29
T 2 9 16 23 30
FEBRUARY M T W T
F S S 3 4 5 10 11 12 17 18 19 24 25 26 31 F
S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 MARCH M T W T F S S 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 APRIL M T 1 7 8 14 15 21 22 28 29
W T F S S 2 3 4 5 6 9 10 11 12 13 16 17 18 19 20 23 24 25 26 27 30
MAY M T
W
T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 JUNE M T 30 2 3 9 10 16 17 23 24
W
T
S 1 4 5 6 7 8 11 12 13 14 15 18 19 20 21 22 25 26 27 28 29
JULY M T 1 7 8 14 15 21 22 28 29
W 2 9 16 23 30
T F S S 3 4 5 6 10 11 12 13 17 18 19 20 24 25 26 27 31
F
S
AUGUST M T W
T
F 1 4 5 6 7 8 11 12 13 14 15 18 19 20 21 22 25 26 27 28 29
S 2 9 16 23 30
SEPTEMBER M T W T 1 2 3 4 8 9 10 11 15 16 17 18 22 23 24 25 29 30
S S 6 7 13 14 20 21 27 28
F 5 12 19 26
S 3 10 17 24 31
OCTOBER M T W T 1 2 6 7 8 9 13 14 15 16 20 21 22 23 27 28 29 30
F S S 3 4 5 10 11 12 17 18 19 24 25 26 31
NOVEMBER M T W T
F
S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
deceMBER M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
20 Questions
Nora
9 aug – 14 sep
Previews (bookable) 9, 10, 12 August Opening night (invitation only) 13 August Unwaged performance 11 September Sunday Forum 14 September
The Glass Menagerie
20 sep – 2 nov
Previews (bookable) 20, 21, 23 September Opening night (invitation only) 24 September Unwaged performance 2 October Captioned performance 25 October Sunday Forum 2 November
A Christmas Carol
8 nov – 24 Dec
Previews (bookable) 8, 9, 11 November Opening night (invitation only) 12 November Audio-described performance 29 November Unwaged performance 18 December Captioned performance 20 December Sunday Forum 21 December
7 APR – 11 aug (Mondays only) 6.30pm
april
july
may
august
7 April, 14 April, 28 April 5 May, 12 May, 26 May
7 July, 14 July, 21 July, 28 July 11 August
JUNE
2 June, 9 June, 16 June, 30 June
55
2014 Season Calendar Downstairs Theatre
MAY M T
Cain and Abel
15 may – 8 jun
Previews (bookable) 15, 16 May Opening night (invitation only) 17 May
Oedipus Rex
21 AUG – 14 SEP
Previews (bookable) 21, 22 August Opening night (invitation only) 23 August
Is This Thing On?
2–26 oct
Previews (bookable) 2, 3 October Opening night (invitation only) 4 October
Cinderella
13 nov – 7 Dec
Previews (bookable) 13, 14 November Opening night (invitation only) 15 November
56
T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 JUNE M T 30 2 3 9 10 16 17 23 24
W
W
T
F
S
S 1 4 5 6 7 8 11 12 13 14 15 18 19 20 21 22 25 26 27 28 29
AUGUST M T W
T
F 1 4 5 6 7 8 11 12 13 14 15 18 19 20 21 22 25 26 27 28 29
S 2 9 16 23 30
SEPTEMBER M T W T 1 2 3 4 8 9 10 11 15 16 17 18 22 23 24 25 29 30
S S 6 7 13 14 20 21 27 28
F 5 12 19 26
S 3 10 17 24 31
OCTOBER M T W T 1 2 6 7 8 9 13 14 15 16 20 21 22 23 27 28 29 30
F S S 3 4 5 10 11 12 17 18 19 24 25 26 31
NOVEMBER M T W T
F
S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
deceMBER M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
18 & 25 Belvoir St Surry Hills NSW 2010 Australia Administration +61(2) 9698 3344 Subscriptions +61(2) 8396 6290 Box Office +61(2) 9699 3444 Fax +61(2) 9319 3165 Email mail@belvoir.com.au Web belvoir.com.au Cover Rarriwuy Hick Photographer Gary Heery
2