MS 9335
Papers of Belvoir Street Theatre



Scope and Content Note

Papers

1982-89

7.98 m (57 boxes) + 18 map cabinet folio packages

Restricted

The records were donated to the National Library by Belvoir Street Theatre in 1993. They include records on the various shows produced by Company B, general correspondence, correspondence with the New South Wales Minister of the Arts, correspondence of the Artistic Council and the Board of Directors, publicity material, minutes of meetings, memberships, wages and other administrative papers and subject files.

Some of the correspondents include Sue Hill, Chris Westwood, Martin Brown, Barbara Allen, Deborah Collins and Di Ridoutt.

Note on the arrangements and description of the records

The Belvoir Street Theatre has kept the records in good order and in files. The file titles and the arrangements of records within the files have been preserved by the Library. The Library has, however, arranged the collection into 18 series.

The Library compiled the finding aid based on the inventory supplied by Belvoir Street Theatre.


Organisational Note

The Belvoir Street Theatre evolved from the Nimrod Theatre, which was founded in 1970 and closed in 1987.

In 1984 a syndicate, known as Belvoir Street Theatre Ltd., was formed by Sue Hill and Chris Westwood to raise money to buy a building in Belvoir Street, Surry Hills. To achieve its gaol, the syndicate formed a non-profit public company, called Hekla Holdings but operating under the name of Belvoir Street Theatre, to buy the building. Between 1984 and 1988 the director of Hekla Holdings was Viv Fraser and its secretaries were Sue Hill and Chris Westwood.

In 1984 members of the syndicate also formed a non-profit organisation, known as Company B, to manage the theatre and produce the shows. Until 1994 members of the syndicate annually elected up to nine artistic directors and appointed a general manager. Chris Westwood and Sue Hill shared the position of General Manager between 1984 and 1988, Robyn Kershaw between 1989 and 1994, Louise O'Halloran between 1994 and 1997 and Rachel Healy was appointed General Manager in 1997. Neil Armfield was appointed as the Company's single Artistic Director in 1994.

Reference:

Companion to theatre in Australia, pp. 85-86 and 407


Series List

Series Title
1

Company B productions, 1982-88

2

Company B productions, 1984-85

3

'Pack of women', 1983-84

4

General correspondence, 1986-89

5

Publicity material, 1984-88

6

Queensland Youth Arts Festival, 1983-85

7

Correspondence with the Office of New South Wales Minister for the Arts, 1984-87

8

Correspondence with the Australia Council, 1984-86

9

Day files, 1984-88

10

Financial papers, 1986-88

11

Correspondence of the Artistic Council of Company B, 1984-88

12

Papers of the Board of Directors of Company B, 1984-89

13

Administrative files, 1984-89

14

Hekla Holdings, 1984-88

15

Subject files, 1980-87

16

Information from other companies, 1991

17

Australia and New Zealand theatre records, 1987-92

18

Posters


Series Description

Series 1

Company B productions, 1982-88

Belvoir Street Theatre kept its administrative records for each production in two separate series. Although the records contained in Series 1 and 2 are very similar, the Library has decided to preserve this original arrangement.

The records include correspondence, agreements, contracts, invitations, budget and expenditures, schedules, minutes of meetings, booking records, box office and banking reconciliation sheets, invoices and receipts, press releases, cuttings, advertisements, memoranda, submissions for financial assistance and sometimes brief biographical notes on some the actors.

Folder

1985 Program

1

'Carols by lazorlight' by the Magpie Theatre, 1985

2

'Gertrude Stein and a companion' for the Festival of Sydney, 1985-88

3

'The giddy people' by the Castenet Club, 1985

4

'An imaginary life', 1985-86

5

'Joyce', 1985-86

6

'Naked young men', 1986

7-8

One offs, 1984-85

9

'Opera! Opera!', 1985-86

10

'Scandals', 1985-86

11

'Statement after an arrest under the Immorality Act', 1986

12

'Stomping Ground' by Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre (AIDT), 1985

13

Sunday variety and films, 1985

14

'Toe truck honeyspot', 1984-86

15

'Topp twins', 1985

16

'Two boys and two girls', 1985-86

17

'Whore in a madhouse': agreements, 1985

18

'Whore in a madhouse': biographical note on Franca Rame and Dario Fo

19

'Whore in a madhouse': general correspondence, 1984-85

20

'Whore in a madhouse': correspondence with Franca Rame, 1983-85

21

'Whore in a madhouse': correspondence and expenditures, 1984-85

22-23

'Whore in a madhouse': financial papers, 1985

24

'Whore in a madhouse': information on investors, 1985

25

'Whore in a madhouse': notes from meetings, 1985

26

'Whore in a madhouse': publicity, 1985

27

'Whore in a madhouse': rights and licence, 1983-85

28

'Whore in a madhouse': schedules, 1985

29

'Whore in a madhouse': scripts

30

'Whore in a madhouse': touring, 1985

31

'Whore in a madhouse': miscellaneous, 1985

32

Women Writers Guild and Feminist Publishing Forum, 1985-86

1986 Program

33

Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP), 1984-85

34

Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre (AIDT), 1985-86

35

'Flying pickets', 1986

36

'Folkways', 1985-86

37

'Gull', 1986

38

Jazz concert, 1986

39

'Katherine Mansfield', 1986

40

'Kids' stuff' produced by Anthill Theatre

41

'Mambologist', 1985-86

42

'Masterpieces', 1984-86

43

One offs, Jan.-Fen. 1986

44

One offs, April-July 1986

45

One offs, 1986

46

'Pearls before swine', 1986

47

'Redinka's lesson, 1986

48

'Savannah Bay', 1986

49

'A smile, a song and a lump of wood' with Geoff Kelso and Anthony Akroyd, 1986

50

'State of shock', 1986

51

Sunday music shows 1986

52

Visit of Franca Rame, 1984-85

1987 Program

53

Best of Melbourne Spoleto Fringe Festival, 1986-87

54

Chinese delegation, 1986-87

55

'Cho Cho San', 1987

56

'Don Quixote, 1987

57

'Europe', 1987

58

'Front lawn, 1987

59

'Gertrude Stein', 1987

60

'The Hobbit', 1987

61

'Jim and James in Bali', 1987

62

'Kats', 1987

63

'A lie in the mind', 1987

64

'Lilly and May', 1987

65

'Magpies nest', 1987

66

A month of Sunday benefits, 1987

67

'On parliament hill, 1987

68

One offs, 1987

69

'Pell Mell', 1986-88

70

'Popular mechanicals, 1987

71

'Radio D'Amour' with the Madrigirls, 1987

72

'Scarlet's revenge, 1987

73

'The serpent's fall', 1987

74

'Shakers, 1987

75

'Skirmishes', 1987

76

'Soldier boys', 1987

77

'Thunderbirds', 1987

78

'Witch play', 1987


Series 2

Company B program and correspondence, 1984-85

Belvoir Street Theatre kept its administrative records for each production in two separate series. Although the records contained in Series 1 and 2 are very similar, the Library has decided to preserve this original arrangement.

The series includes correspondence, agreements, contracts, budgets, show summaries, schedules, invitations, miscellaneous notes, advertisements, cuttings and financial papers. The correspondents include John Little, Diana Manson, Noni Hazlehurst, Todd Little, Jill Smith, Gloria Payten and Patricia Lovell.

Folder

1-2

General correspondence, 1984-85. The file mostly comprises copies of letters written by Chris Westwood, Sue Hill and Jennifer Rae.

3

'Anthill', 1984-85

4

'Briefs', 1984-85

5

'Dirty rascal', 1985

6

'Girl talk', 1984-85

7

Ha Ha Ha Production, 1984-85

8

Seymour Group, 1984-85

9

'Topp Twins', 1985

10

'Up against it', 1985


Series 3

'Pack of women', 1983-84

'Pack of women', a cabaret devised by Robyn Archer, was first performed in the Drill Hall in London in 1981. In Australia the show was produced by Sue Hill and Christ Westwood for Understudies Pty. Ltd. and it was premiered in 1983 in the Downstairs Belvoir Street Theatre in Sydney.

The series include correspondence, scripts, music scores, contracts, agreements, ticket reconciliation, box office summaries, budgets, royalties, insurances, schedules, production sheets, recording of synthesizer data, financial papers, notes, programme sales and papers relating to the performances of 'Pack of women' in Adelaide, Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and overseas.

See also papers of Robyn Archer at MS 7692

Folder

1

Papers relating to premiere at the Seymour Centre, 1983

2-4

Correspondence, 1983-84

5-6

Adelaide, 1983

7

Canberra and Brisbane, 1983

8

Overseas and Perth, 1983

9

Script copy 4

10-11

Script copy 5

12

Script copy 6

13

Music scores

14

Negatives

15

Universal Theatre, Melbourne, 1983

16

One reel of tape recording of 'Coupling' from 'Pack of women', recorded on the 'Mike Walsh Show', Sydney, 1983

17

One cassette of synthesizer data


Series 4

General correspondence, 1986-89

The series comprises copies of letters written by Chris Westwood (General Manager) and Alison Dunn (Publicity Officer) and minutes of meetings. Other correspondents include Leigh Small, Ruth Owens, Hannah Fink, Lindy Davies, Val Mason, Hattie Parsons, Rodney Taylor, Robyn Kershaw, Lyn Pierse, Malcolm Gray, Wendy Mortimer and Anthony Fogg.

The subjects of the correspondence include temporary employment with the Belvoir Street Theatre Company, financial matters and thank you letters sent to donors and volunteers.

Folder

1-3

1986 (including copies of Chris Westwood's letters)

4-6

1987

7-9

1988 (including copies of Alison Dunn's letters)

9-10

1988-89


Series 5

Publicity material, 1984-88

The series include press cuttings, programmes and brochures. Most of the papers have been kept in files under the names of the shows.

Folder

1-2

General publicity, 1984-87

3

Press cuttings, 1985

4

Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre (AIDT), 1985

5

'Ha Ha Ha performing humans', 1985

6

'Kids' stuff', 1985-86

7

Papers relating to the 1986 Season launch

8

'ABC', 1986

9

'Colonel Redl': film shown at the Dendy Cinema, Sydney, 1986

10

'Joyce', 1986

11

'Dags' ('Toe Truck') and AIDT, 1986

12

Melbourne Spoleto Fringe Festival, 1986

13

'Pell Mell', 1986

14

'Savannah Boy', 1986

15

'The state of shock', 1986

16

'Statement after an arrest under the Morality Act', 1986

17

Papers relating to the 1987 Season launch

18

AIDT, 1987

19

'Cho Cho San', 1987

20

'Europe' by Michael Gow, 1987

21

'A feminist publishing forum', 1987

22

'The front lawn', 1987

23

'Get happy' by Thunderbirds', 1987

24

'A lie of the month', 1985-87

25

'A month of Sundays', 1987

26

'On Parliament hill', 1987

27

'Playworks', 1987

28

'The popular mechanicals', 1987-88

29

'Radio D'Amour' by the Madrigirls, 1987

30

'Shakers', 1987

31

'Soldier boys', 1987

32

'The starlet's revenge', 1987

33

'Witch play', 1987

34

Miscellaneous publicity material, 1987


Series 6

Queensland Youth Arts Festival, 1983-85

The Belvoir Street Theatre was involved in the production of a number of plays in the Queensland Youth Arts Festival. The series includes correspondence, publicity material, financial papers, minutes of meetings and other papers.

Folder

1

Aboriginal shows, 1984-85

2

Art and technology, 1984-85

3

Budget, 1985

4

'Chrystal gutters', 1984

5

Correspondence and invoices, 1984-85

6

Radio Fm. 104, 1985

7

Publicity, promotion, advertising and sponsorship, 1985

8

Queensland Youth Orchestra and Australian Youth Ballet, 1985

9

'Kids' gigs', 1984

10

Opening celebrations, 1985

11

Queensland resources and ideas, 1983-84

12

Staff meetings, 1985

13

'The three legends of Kra', 1984-85

14

The Toe Truck Theatre, 1985

15

Youth Arts Festival Committee, 1984


Series 7

Correspondence with the Office of New South Wales Minister for the Arts, 1984-87

The series comprises correspondence, applications for grants and minutes of meetings. The correspondents include Di Ridoutt, Chris Westwood, George Paciullo, Jill Nash, Pierre St. Just, Gloria Payten, William Gluth and Morgan Meyer Barron Potts, Solicitors.

Folder

1

Correspondence concerning Capital Grants, 1984-86

2

Correspondence, including submissions, seeking financial assistance to purchase the Nimrod's theatre in Surry Hills, Sydney, 1984

3

Government Assistance, 1984-86

4

Quarterly report to the Office of New South Wales Minister for the Arts, 1986-87

5

Capital grants, 1987

6

Contact addresses, 1987

7

Minutes of the Cultural Grants Advisory Full Council Meeting, 1987

8

Film and Video Committee of Cultural Grants of the Australia Council, 1987

9

Submission to the Social History Writing Program of the Cultural Grants Advisory Council, 1987

10

Theatre and dance, 1987

11

Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC), 1987

12

Youth Theatre Policy Committee Meeting, 14 April 1987


Series 8

Correspondence with the Australia Council, 1984-86

The series comprises mostly correspondence between John Lonie of the Belvoir Street Theatre and Michael Fitzgerald of the Theatre Board and Irene Stevens of the Literature Board.

Folder

1

Correspondence, 1984

2

Correspondence, 1985

3

Correspondence, 1986


Series 9

Day files, 1984-88

The 'Day files' comprise pink copies of letters written by Chris Westwood, Martin Brown, Barbara Allen and Deborah Collins.

Folder

1-5

1984-86

6

Oct.-Nov. 1986

7

Aug.-Oct. 1986

8

June-Aug. 1986

9

Mar.-June 1986

10

Jul.-Dec. 1986

11

Jan.-Sep. 1987

12-15

Jan.-Sep. 1987

16-17

Oct.-Dec. 1987

18-19

Jan.-Apr. 1988

20

Jan.-Apr. 1988


Series 10

Financial papers, 1986-88

The series includes copies of Chris Westwood's letters concerning financial matters, invoices and receipts. Most of the papers have been filed in alphabetical order.

Folder

1-2

Financial records of Understudies Pty. Ltd and copies of Westwood's letters, 1983

3

Budget papers, 1985-86

4

Invoices and receipts, Jan.-June 1986: A

5

Invoices and receipts, Jan.-June 1986: B

6

Invoices and receipts, Jan.-June 1986: C

7

Invoices and receipts, Jan.-June 1986: D-K

8

Invoices and receipts, Jan.-June 1986: L-S

9

Invoices and receipts, Jan.-June 1986: T-Y

10

Invoices and receipts, July-Dec. 1986: A-C

11

Invoices and receipts, July-Dec. 1986: D-O

12

Invoices and receipts, July-Dec. 1986: P

13

Invoices and receipts, July-Dec. 1986: R-W

14

Receipt books, 1986-88

15

Bank statements, 1985-86

16

Financial papers for 'ABC', 1986

17

Financial papers for 'Joyce', 1986-87


Series 11

Correspondence of the Artistic Council of Company B, 1984-88

The series comprises the correspondence of Sue Hill and Chris Westwood with various Australian (and some overseas) theatre companies and organisations. They contain submissions to the Artistic Council of the Belvoir Street Theatre to use the theatre as a venue for their productions. Each submission was given a number and the submissions were kept in numerical order.

The correspondents include the Australia Council, The Drama Studio (Sydney), Nancy Cole (Paris) relating to 'Gertrude Stein'), The Sydney Committee Ltd. (Organiser of the 1984 Sydney Festival), The Grin and Tonic Theatre Troupe (Queensland), The New Dance Theatre (Sydney), The Play Box Theatre (Melbourne), M & L Ltd. (Sydney), Murray River Performing Group Ltd. (Albury), Nepean School of Arts, Anthony A. Williams Management (New York), Goodwin Associates (London) and Critical Mass Theatre (London).

Folder

1

Original numbered submissions (in alphabetical order), including register of scripts, 1984-88

2

Submissions and possible projects: 1-46

3

Submissions and possible projects: 47-103

4

Submissions and possible projects: 104-147

5

Submissions and possible projects: 148-210

6

Submissions and possible projects: 211-240

7

Submissions and possible projects: 241-299

8

Submissions and possible projects: 300-360

9

Submissions and possible projects: 364-399 (361-363 not received)

10

Submissions and possible projects: 401-499 (400 not received)

11

Submissions and possible projects: 500-534

12

Submissions and possible projects: 535-599

13

Submissions and possible projects: 600-674

14

Submissions and possible projects: 675-699

15

Submissions and possible projects: 700-737

16

Submissions and possible projects: 738-788

17

Submissions and possible projects: 789-799

18

Submissions and possible projects: 800-841

19

Submissions and possible projects: 842-899

20

Submissions and possible projects: 900-925

21

Submissions and possible projects: 926-981

22

Submissions and possible projects: 982-999

23

Submissions and possible projects: 1000-1068

24

Submissions and possible projects: 1077-1116 (1069-1076 not received)

25

Submissions and possible projects: 1117-1188


Series 12

Papers of the Board of Directors of Company B, 1984-89

The series includes minutes of meetings and the Chairman's report.

Folder

1-2

Minutes of meetings, 1984-87

3

Minutes of meetings, 1987-89

4

Chairman's report, 1985?


Series 13

Administrative files, 1984-89

The series includes minutes of meetings, financial papers, memberships lists and shareholders correspondence of Company B.

Folder

1

Minutes of meetings of members of Company B, 1985

2

Papers concerning the nominations of Company B Board members and the naming of the company, 1984-85

3

Company B: taxes, 1985-86

4

Company B: wages: casuals, 1985-86

5

Company B: wages: theatreports, 1985-87

6

Company B: wages: Company B 2, 1985-86

7

Company B: wages: bar, 1985-86

8

Company B: wages, 1985-86

9

Company B: wages: ordinary, 1986-87

10-11

Memberships, 1985

12

Memberships, 1986

13-14

Memberships, 1986-87

15

Memberships, 1988

16-17

Shareholders correspondence, 1984-85

18-19

Shareholders correspondence, 1985-87

20

Syndicate names and addresses, 1987

21

Syndicate names and addresses, 1988

22

Minutes of meetings of the Syndicate concerning the purchase of the Nimrod building, 1984

23

Syndicates notes and other papers, 1984-85

24

Minutes of staff meetings, 1986-87

25

Minutes of staff meetings, 1987-88

26

Minutes of staff meetings, 1987-89

27

Minutes of staff meetings, 1988

28

Minutes of staff meetings, contracts and memoranda, 1988


Series 14

Hekla Holdings, 1984-88

Hekla Holdings, trading as Belvoir Street Theatre, was a non-profit public company which operated under the name of Belvoir Street Theatre. It owns the building in 25 Belvoir Street, Surry Hills. The Director of Hekla Holdings is Viv Fraser and its secretaries are Sue Hill and Chris Westwood. The series comprises minutes of meetings.

Folder

1

Minutes of meetings of members of shareholders, 1984-86

2

Copy of an application made by Hekla Holdings for assistance, under the New South Wales Government Program of Capital Grants, for works on the theatre building, 1984

3

Minutes of Board meetings, 1984-85

4

Minutes of Board meetings, 1987-88


Series 15

Subject files, 1980-87

The series includes correspondence, cuttings, notes and seminar papers.

Folder

1-2

Cuttings of articles on the arts, 1980-87

3

Belvoir Street Theatre diary, 1986

4

A copy of 'Guidelines for the development of EEO management plans', 1985

5

New South Wales Women and Arts Festival: Seminar, 1982

6

Position papers, 1984

7

Public lecture given by Dacia Maraini, Italian writer, at the Belvoir Street Theatre, 1987

8

'Save the Regent Theatre Summit', 1984

9

Seminar on Parents in the performing arts, 1985

10

Wintergarden Action Committee: campaign for the preservation of the Wintergarden and Capitol Theatres, Sydney, 1985

11

Work experience students, 1988

12

Women and Arts Festival: correspondence, 1982

13

Miscellanous correspondence, 1982

14-15

Theatre seminars, 1982

16

Notes and minutes of meetings, 1982

17

Notes on sponsorships

18

Women and the arts festival: miscellaneous papers, 1984-85

19

Women and the arts festival: printed material

20

Women and arts projects, 1982


Series 16

Information from other companies, 1991

The series comprises programmes, leaflets, brochures and posters sent to Belvoir Street Theatre by other performing arts companies including The One Extra Company (Sydney), NIDA, the Australian Opera, Theatre North (Lismore), Canberra Theatre, Festival of Sydney, Downstage Theatre Trust Board (Wellington, NZ), Hackney Empire Theatre (London), Women's Playhouse Trust (London) and Royal Court Theatre (London).

Folder

1

Correspondence concerning information from other companies, 1991

2-13

Programmes and leaflets


Series 17

Australia and New Zealand theatre records, 1987-92

The series comprises copies of Australia and New Zealand theatre records, 1987-92 (incomplete)

3 Boxes


Series 18

Posters, c. 1990-93

The series comprises posters of shows which had been performed in the Belvoir Street Theatre. They include the following:

  • 'Djunba woman' and 'Reflections' presented by the Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre Student Ensemble, Belvoir Street Theatre, 1991
  • 'Dreaming: fact not fiction' by the National Aboriginal Islander College, Belvoir Street Theatre, 1992
  • 'Sha Sha Higby in the tin twin' and 'Fred and Ginger get laid' by the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, Belvoir Street Theatre, 1992-93
  • 'The diver' by Toe Truck Theatre, Belvoir Street Theatre [n.d.]
  • 'Wallflowering' by Canberra Theatre in conjunction with the Sydney Festival, Belvoir Street Theatre, 1990

18 mylar pockets (some pockets contain more than one poster)


BOX LIST

Box

Series

Folder

1

1

1-5

2

1

6-13

3

1

14-20

4

1

21-27

5

1

28-36

6

1

37-45

7

1

46-52

8

1

53-58

9

1

59-64

10

1

65-69

11

1

70-75

12

1

76-78

12

2

1-4

13

2

5-10

13

3

1-2

14

3

3-7

15

3

8-17

16

4

1-5

17

4

6-10

18

5

1-6

19

5

7-14

20

5

15-20

21

5

21-27

22

5

28-34

23

6

1-8

24

6

9-15

25

7

1-8

26

7

9-12

20

5

15-20

21

5

21-27

22

5

28-34

23

6

1-8

24

6

9-15

25

7

1-8

26

7

9-12

27

9

1-3

28

9

4-7

29

9

8-11

30

9

12-15

31

9

16-19

32

9

20

32

10

1-2

33

10

3-7

34

10

8-11

35

10

12-14

36

10

15-17

36

11

1-2

37

11

3-7

38

11

8-11

39

11

12-15

40

11

16-19

41

11

20-23

42

11

24-25

42

12

1-3

43

12

4

43

13

1-6

44

13

7-11

45

13

12-15

46

13

16-19

47

13

20-25

48

13

26-28

48

14

1-3

49

14

4

49

15

1-4

50

15

5-12

51

15

13-19

52

15

20

52

16

1-3

53

16

4-9

54

16

10-13

55

17

56

17

57

17

Map Cabinet:

18 mylar pockets (some pockets contain more than one poster)

March 1999