Sometimes it is the smaller theatre spaces which give us some of our  richest theatrical experiences?

I, and I am sure other long time theatregoers, will fondly remember having some very special nights at the tiny Lookout Theatre in Woollahra, set up by long time theatre lover and producer, Andrea Baker. The Lookout theatre fitted less than thirty people and yet it managed  to survive for quite a few years until the pub where it resided, decided to close the venue down and turn  it into a poker machine room.

Likewise, I am sure that many will fondly remember many good nights had at Belvoir Street Theatre’s intimate Downstairs Theatre with just over eighty seats,  enjoying Belvoir’s B Sharp seasons of plays, one of Neil Armfield’s finest innovations during his long tenure as the Company’s Artistic Director.

Earlier this week Eamon Flack, Belvoir’s current Artistic Director, announced that it is bringing the intimate theatre ‘properly’ back to life after having been used infrequently over the last seven years. From April to  December Belvoir will be hosting Season 25A, a series of independent plays, The rehearsal and theatre spaces will be given to Companies for free, and they will receive marketing support.

It’s  great news for Sydney’s always growing  independent theatre scene. At the launch which took place last Monday night Flack announced the details of Belvoir’s first 25A season. Highlights include Sunrise, by Zoe Hogan, directed by 2017 ATYP Scholarship recipient, Julia Patey, The Readers by Scott Smart, which will feature the directorial debut of actress and Belvoir alumni Elizabeth Nabben, and Yarramandoon The Musical, by Hannah and  Eliza Reilly,  the Logie-nominated creators and stars of ABC’s Growing Old Gracefully, and Strindberg’s  The Maids, directed by Belvoir’s 2018 Andrew Cameron Fellow, Carissa Licciardello.

For the full  details about 25A visit https://belvoir.com.au/25a/.