Company B (theatre)

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

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 Arts NSW.

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. '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'.

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

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

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.