In 1951 Mary O’Malley founded the Lyric Players Theatre.
She gathered the brightest creatives around her - including artist Alice Berger Hammerschlag, choreographer Helen Lewis, poets Austin Clarke, Seamus Heaney and John Hewitt, playwrights Joseph Tomelty and Brian Friel, actors Sam McCready, Liam Neeson and Stella McCusker - who together built an art gallery (The New Gallery, 1963–1969), a literary magazine Threshold (1957–1990), Belfast’s first dance centre, a drama school, Belfast’s first music academy and, of course, a theatre, initially at her home at Derryvolgie Avenue, and then at Ridgeway Street from 1968.
In 2026 we celebrate 75 years of this rich history with a year-long exhibition and a programme of special events.
MARY O’MAllEY lIvING ROOM STAGE
30 JAN – 7 FEb 2026
A programme of events on the Mary O’Malley living room stage will mark the opening week, showcasing music, poetry readings, in-conversations, documentary screenings and live performances.
The programme will include poet Medbh McGuckian, Live Discussions with Colin Davidson & Mark Carruthers and Conor O’Malley & Julie Andrews, performances from Neil Martin, Hive Choir, Rogue Encounters, John Anderson’s Voices of Ireland and more.
30 JAN - 01 NOv
03 FEb 2026
13 - 14 MARch 2026
14 - 15 AUGUST 2026
ThROUGhOUT 2026
A House of Play: 75 Years of the Lyric Theatre Belfast Exhibition
Lyric 75th dinner at The Fishmongers’ Company Banqueting Hall London
Lyric 75th Special Event
Lyric 75th Special Event cElEbRATING 1951 -2026
Outreach and Education Special Projects including 75 Trees Campaign
A HOUSE OF PlAY
EXhIbITION
30 JAN - 08 NOv 2026
A House of Play: 75 Years of the Lyric Theatre Belfast Exhibition, in association with the Ulster Museum, University of Galway Library Archives and The Linen Hall
Curated by Kim Mawhinney, and supported by Eamonn Mallie and Matthew Maw, the exhibition features artworks by Jack B. Yeats, Alice Berger Hammerschlag, Basil Blackshaw, Louis Le Brocquy and others associated with The New Gallery. Extending the legacy into the present, new pieces by Colin Davidson and Neil Shawcross will also be unveiled. It will also feature rare editions of Threshold and a recreation of the living room stage.
A House Of Play is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, this exhibition will run from 30 January – 8 November 2026.
AT A GLANCE
Th E IMPORTAN c E OF b EING EARNEST SAT 31 J AN - SUN 22 F E b Th E hUMAN vOI c E Th U 12 - S AT 28 F E b Y OUNG AT A RT bE l FAST c h I ld RENS FESTI vA l M AR ch
M AR v E l lOUS hUMANS Sh OW c ASE
WE d 25 - T h US 26 M AR cONSUME d
T UE 24 FE b - SUN 08 MAR
G ROUP ! A N OUTRAGEOUS MUSI c A l c OME d Y
TUE 24 M AR - SAT 04 APR
M A cb ET h Th UR 16 - SAT 18 A PR F RANKENSTEIN T UE 21 A PR - SAT 02 MAY T EA I N A c h INA cUP SAT 02 - SAT 30 MAY Ev ERY b O d Y KNOWS W E d 20 - S AT 31 MAY T h E EFFE c T W E d 03 - SAT 06 JU N
STEE l M AGNO l IAS SAT 13 JUN - FRI 10 JU l
hOW TO bOOK AccESS
028 9038 1081
SUN - MON | 10:00 - 17:00
TUE - SAT | 10:00 - 19:00
55 RIDGEWAY STREET, BELFAST, BT9 5FB
SUN - MON | 10:00 - 17:00
TUE - SAT | 10:00 - 19:00
The Lyric Theatre is committed to making your visit accessible and enjoyable. We offer accessible performances for all Lyric shows, wheelchair spaces, lift access, accessible toilets, sensory & hearing support, and welcome assistance dogs.
Free carer tickets are available for those needing essential support.
For specific access needs or more information, please contact our Box Office Team.
lYRIc+ MEMbERShIP
Be the first to book for our newest season - secure your favourite seats before they go on public sale with Lyric+ Membership. Starting from £35, all memberships offer priority booking and 2-for-1 tickets on selected performances.
Visit our website or contact our Box Office Team.
10AM - 3PM TUE - SUN
“RIOT OF ThE SENSES”
STAGE
“A ShARP, MOdERN TWIST ON A clASSIc WIldE PlAY”
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
WRITTEN bY OScAR WIldE
dIREcTEd bY JIMMY FAY
OSCAR WILDE’S COMIC MASTERPIECE RETURNS TO THE LYRIC!
Back by popular demand, The Importance of Being Earnest once again takes centre stage at the Lyric Theatre. Hailed as one of the greatest comedies ever written, Wilde’s dazzling satire of Victorian society is brimming with sharp wit, tangled romances, and delightfully absurd mistaken identities.
Follow Jack and Algernon as they flit between the glittering high life of London and the rustic calm of the countryside, where a seemingly quaint garden sets the stage for the most delicious chaos. With handbags misplaced, identities fabricated, and propriety turned on its head, the story spirals into comic mayhem.
At the heart of this sparkling production is a brilliant ensemble cast, bringing Wilde’s larger-than-life characters to vivid, hilarious effect. Together, they capture the razor-sharp wit and rhythm of a play that continues to dazzle more than a century after its debut.
COME ALONG DARLINGS, AND JOIN US FOR THE GARDEN PARTY EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT!
PRIME cUT PROdUcTIONS
THE HUMAN VOICE
The Human Voice by Darren Murphy is a radical reimagining of Jean Cocteau’s seminal play.
Starring Nicky Harley, this a contemporary Belfast story of a woman juggling love and work, as emotional and psychological demands on her time from a desperate client interrupts the devastation of her final call with the lover who abandons her. Pushed to her limits, she must negotiate a treacherous path between her private and public worlds. Heartache is not the aching, luxurious business it used to be.
- £22 TIMES:
15:00 | 20:00
WRITTEN bY JEAN cOcTEAU AdAPTEd bY dARREN MURPhY dIREcTEd bY EMMA JORdAN
PAINES PlOUGh, lYRIc bElFAST & PARK ThEATRE cO-PROdUcTION
CONSUME d
WRITTEN bY KARIS KEllY
dIREcTEd bY KATIE POSNER
A 90th birthday party that no-one seems to want. Four generations of Northern Irish women, reunited under one roof. A house full of hungry ghosts, with more than one skeleton in the closet. Turn off your phones at dinner.
Winner of the Women’s Prize for the Playwriting 2022, Karis Kelly’s play is a pitch-black and twisted comedy of dysfunctional family dynamics, generational trauma and national boundaries. Featured in Rolling Stone’s ‘Ten stand-out shows of the Edinburgh Fringe 2025’
14:30 | 19:30 £16 - £32
TIMES: PRICE: 14+ MAIN STAGE
M AR ch 2026
YOUNG AT ART
bElFAST chIldREN’S FESTIvAl
The Belfast Children’s Festival isn’t just for the young—it’s for the young at heart too! With an exciting lineup of local, national, and international performances and events, Young At Art promises to entertain, surprise, and delight audiences of all ages.
At Young At Art, we believe that great arts experiences are for everyone. Whether you’re 8 weeks old or 108 years young, there’s something magical waiting for you. Get ready to laugh, explore, and be inspired—our festival fun is coming back to the Lyric in March 2026!
M ARVELLOUS H UMANS S HO w CASE 2026
ROGUE ENcOUNTERS IN PARTNERShIP WITh lYRIc ThEATRE
This Marvellous Humans Showcase is a celebration of creativity, connection, and the extraordinary potential in every person. Blending physical theatre training with skill-sharing, collaboration, and storytelling, the showcase is the culmination of Rogue Encounter’s brand-new all abilities 18-week training course. Everyone’s voice matters, diversity is celebrated, and creativity has no limits. Participants unite to use their own ideas and lived experiences as the spark for original, powerful theatre.
TIMES: PRICE:
AGE:
STAGE:
13:30 | 19:45
£8 - £10
ALL NAUGHTON STUDIO
GROUP! AN OUTRAGEOUS MUSICAL COMEdY
SEVEN PLASTIC CHAIRS. SEVEN CUPS OF COFFEE. SEVEN SOULS TRYING TO HOLD IT TOGETHER. UNTIL TONIGHT.
Welcome to Group! In a community centre on the outskirts of Belfast, a support group unravels in real time. The tenuous bond between a group of five melters, and their uptight facilitator is put to the test when a new member joins....But everything’s not what it seems, and the new arrival ignites an unforgettable night of hilarious therapy.
First staged at the Lyric in 2002, this outrageous musical with a hit Broadway infused score has seen countless productions including New York, Philadelphia, Australia and London. Here, as part of the Lyric 75th anniversary, it comes home to join in the celebrations with a glorious live orchestra and stellar cast.
*cONTAINS OUTRAGEOUS MATERIAl
14:30 | 19:30
£16 - £38
ThE bElFAST ENSEMblE IN ASSOcIATION WITh lYRIc ThEATRE
WRITTEN bY cONOR MITchEll & MATThEW hURT dIREcTEd bY cONOR MITchEll
MACBETH
WRITTEN bY WIllIAM ShAKESPEARE
dIREcTEd bY GARRY hYNES
In medieval Scotland, the ambitious army general Macbeth is visited by three witches who foretell his ascension to the throne. In pursuit of this prophecy, and emboldened by his wife, Lady Macbeth, he sets out on a murderous path that threatens to sever the ties that bind their minds, their marriage and even the nation itself. This is the Scottish Play like you’ve never seen it before. Druid bring their visceral and uniquely Irish perspective to one of Shakespeare’s fiercest and bloodiest tragedies.
Tony Award winner Garry Hynes directs a cast led by Marty Rea as Macbeth and fellow Tony Award winner Marie Mullen as Lady Macbeth. This new 2026 tour of Macbeth follows sold-out runs in 2025 in both Galway and Dublin.
TIMES:
PRICE:
14:30 | 19:30
£16 - £38
“MAGNIFIcENT hORROR ... EXTRAORdINARIlY AccOMPlIShEd ... RIvETING” ThE IRISh TIMES
AGE: STAGE:
12+
MAIN STAGE
“AN EXTRAORdINARY PROdUcTION ... dEEPlY EMbOdIEd, RAW PERFORMANcES” ARENA, RTÉ RAdIO 1
Photo: Ros Kavanagh
A lYRIc dRAMA STUdIO PROdUcTION
F RAN k ENSTEIN
WRITTEN bY MARY ShEllEY
AdAPTEd bY RONA MUNRO dIREcTEd bY PhIlIP cRAWFORd
Step into the mind of the visionary eighteen-year-old Mary Shelley as she conceives a tale that will resonate for centuries.
Victor Frankenstein, a young and gifted scientist, toils secretly night and day in a desperate quest to create life. When Frankenstein ultimately achieves his ambition, he is disgusted by what he has made and abandons his creation, yet the being refuses to be forgotten. Misunderstood, lonely, and searching desperately for identity, the creature’s story is one not only of terror, but also of isolation and yearning.
Rona Munro’s gripping adaptation places Mary Shelley at the heart of the tale, exploring the power of imagination, the responsibilities of creation, and the tragedy of being alienated and unloved. Discover a timeless story where the real horror isn’t in the monster — it’s in neglecting the consequences of our ambitions. 15:00 | 20:00 £16 - £24 TIMES:
Photo: Alain le Garsmeur
TEA IN A CHINA CUP
WRITTEN bY chRISTINA REId
dIREcTEd bY dAN GORdON
FUNNY, TENdER, ANd dEEPlY MOvING, ThIS IS A STORY OF WOMEN’S vOIcES OFTEN lEFT UNTOld, vOIcES ThAT EchO ThROUGh GENERATIONS
Step into the heart of Belfast, where memory, tradition, and family collide in Christina Reid’s powerful drama, Tea in a China Cup.
Spanning three turbulent decades, from World War II to the height of the Troubles, this poignant and humorous play tells the story of Beth, a Protestant working-class woman, as she revisits the lives of her mother, grandmother, and friends. Through her eyes, we witness the laughter and heartbreak of a community divided by religion, politics, and class, yet bound by the everyday rituals of survival: sharing stories, keeping up appearances and pouring tea.
With sharp wit, warmth, and raw honesty, Reid shines a light on the strength of women who held households together in times of conflict and sacrifice. At once funny, tender, and heartbreaking, Tea in a China Cup captures the endurance of everyday lives lived in extraordinary times.
TIMES:
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14:30 | 19:30
£16-£40
12+
MAIN STAGE
S TEEL M AGNOLIAS
WRITTEN bY RObERT hARlING dIREcTEd bY EMIlY FORAN
‘I hAvE A STRIcT PhIlOSOPhY ThAT I hAvE STUcK TO FOR FIFTEEN YEARS… ThERE IS NO SUch ThING AS NATURAl bEAUTY.’
1987. Northwest Louisiana. Truvy’s Beauty Spot.
Six southern women band together in this hilarious and heartwarming story of friendship and resilience.
Packed with humour and enough hairspray to rip a hole in the ozone layer, Steel Magnolias follows aspiring beautician Annelle who’s just arrived in town. The salon kicks into high gear ahead of local beauty Shelby’s wedding. Young, strong-willed and unshakeably optimistic, Shelby’s life is laid perfectly before her feet. But some things in life can’t be foreseen.
Steel Magnolias is a classic tale of life-long friendship that will stay with you long after the curtain falls.
Steel Magnolias is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk
TIMES: PRICE:
AGE:
STAGE:
14:30 | 19:30
£16-£40
12+
MAIN STAGE
NUAlA McKEEvER
EVERY BOdY k NO w S
WRITTEN bY NUAlA McKEEvER
dIREcTEd bY ANdREA MONTGOMERY
“I hOPE I’M ThE lAST GENERATION OF WOMEN IN IRElANd TO FEEl ThE WAY I FElT.”
Maria’s sister Bernie has organised a birthday party for her. It’s supposed to be a surprise, but Maria ends up getting the (second) biggest shock of her life.
As secrets emerge and cover-ups are revealed, Maria, Bernie and Maria’s daughter Suzanna have to navigate a new world of choices and consequences. What is the cost of a lifetime of silence and who will pay the price when Maria finally speaks up? In her latest play, Nuala McKeever goes deep into the heart of family dynamics. With her trademark wit and compassion, she explores the challenges and the unexpected joys of trying to heal the past to create a better future.
TIMES:
15:00 | 20:00 £16 - £22
bARdIc ThEATRE
THE EFFECT
WRITTEN bY lUcY PREbblE dIREcTEd bY JAMES MURPhY
“I cAN TEll ThE dIFFERENcE bETWEEN WhO I AM ANd A SIdE EFFEcT.”
From the writer of Succession and I Hate Suzie, Lucy Prebble’s The Effect marks Bardic Theatre’s return to the Lyric after the sell-out triumphs of The Ferryman and The Snapper. A drug trial. Two strangers. A connection under the microscope. The Effect is part romance, part experiment, part ticking time bomb-a razor-sharp play exploring intimacy and anxiety, where the longing for connection collides with the fear of the artificial. Fierce, funny, and devastating, it needles at the deepest questions of love and identity in an age ruled by chemistry and control. Starring Kevin Canavan (Dracula, Lyric Drama Studio), Anna McCloskey, Máire Coyle and Declan McGrath, this stark, charged production is directed by James Murphy (The Ferryman, Tall Tales & Murder). With atmospheric design from award-winning lighting designer James C. McFetridge and set designer Stuart Marshall, this impactful 2023 production now makes its way to the Lyric Studio.
