WELCOME
Welcome to the Autumn/Winter programme celebrating the Lyric’s 75th season.
For over 75 years, the Lyric has been at the heart of theatrical culture here in Northern Ireland. Extraordinary actors, designers and directors have brought to life some of the work of our greatest playwrights. I’m delighted that at the heart of our new programme is a major revival of Brian Friel’s masterpiece Faith Healer, starring the extraordinary Conleth Hill, directed by the exceptional Emma Jordan.
Look out for a night of music entitled We Do It for Love, celebrating the amazing musical heritage of the Lyric theatre, which we are performing in partnership with the Ulster Orchestra, who are celebrating their 60th anniversary this year!
For Christmas, we are also welcoming back Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, superbly adapted by Anne Marie Casey.
In our Naughton Studio for the Belfast International Arts Festival, I’m delighted that we are hosting Hello Charlie by Caoimhe Farren, which will premiere in a production led by SkelpieLimmer. Hello Charlie was a huge highlight of our New Playwrights programme.
I hope you find something to entertain, provoke and interest you, and we look forward to welcoming you to the Lyric over the coming months.
Enjoy.
JIMMy FAy Executive Producer Lyric Theatre
FOREWORD
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is proud to be the Lyric Theatre’s principal funder and support their new season in this special 75th anniversary year. Once again, this historic theatre offers the opportunity to enjoy world-class productions, alongside some of the best home-grown talent and new writing, providing audiences with unforgettable experiences. We are delighted to support the very special contribution that the Lyric Theatre makes to the creative and cultural life of Northern Ireland.
NóIRíN McKINNEy Director of Arts Development Arts Council of Northern Ireland
We have come a long way in 75 years, thanks to Mary O’Malley’s vision and the dedication of countless people and, above all, you - our audiences and supporters. You have made the Lyric Theatre what it is today – a theatre of, and for, all the people of Northern Ireland. A major achievement in this society.
In honour of our 75th anniversary, we recently launched a major fundraising campaign, Fund for the Future, which will help build and secure a sustainable future by supporting our strategic priorities: work with young people, new writing and theatre-making, touring productions, creating career pathways across theatre and transformative sustainability and accessibility projects.
As we continue celebrating this incredible milestone, we will be hosting a wide range of events throughout the year, including our year-long exhibition, A House of Play, artist workshops, special events, green initiatives, and outreach and education projects, all with the aim of bringing our community together to celebrate the theatre’s past, present and future.
I do hope you will continue to support the Lyric and the Fund for the Future as we build an even more exciting theatre and remain above all – a theatre of, and, for all.
SIR BRUcE ROBINSON Chair of the Board Lyric Theatre
75 YEARS OF THE LYRIC PLAYERS
CELEBRATE A SEASON OF EVENTS WITH US
OUR STORY
1951 - 2026
In 1951, Mary O’Malley founded the Lyric Players Theatre. Over the following decades, she gathered some of the most significant creative talents in Ireland, including artist Alice Berger Hammerschlag, choreographer Helen Lewis, poets Austin Clarke, Seamus Heaney and John Hewitt, playwrights Joseph Tomelty and Brian Friel, and actors Sam McCready, Liam Neeson and Stella McCusker.
Together, they transformed Belfast’s cultural landscape, establishing Threshold literary magazine (1957–1990), an art gallery The New Gallery (1963–1969), the city’s first dance centre, drama school and music academy, and of course the Lyric Theatre itself. The theatre began in O’Malley’s home on Derryvolgie Avenue before moving to Ridgeway Street in 1968.
In 2026, we celebrate 75 years of this remarkable legacy with a year-long exhibition and programme of special events.
75TH EVENTS
After a fantastic kick-off to our 75th year, the celebrations continue as we see the second in a series of rolling exhibitions celebrating the Lyric’s visual arts heritage. The Lyric’s literary magazine, Threshold, will also be brought back to life after more than 30 years’ hiatus in a special edition reissue of the publication. Two fabulous summer events in collaboration with Ulster Orchestra – the first of which launches Threshold – explore the Lyric’s musical past through song, scores and symphony.
7 JUNE
- 22 AUg
THE RETURN: ALICE BERGER HAMMERSCHLAG AND THE NEW GALLERY OPENING AND CURATORS’ TALK: MATTHEW MAW AND PATSY MCCARTAN Through paintings and archival materials, collector and curator Matthew Maw and the Lyric’s heritage manager and exhibition co-curator Patsy McCartan discuss the legacy of Alice Berger Hammerschlag and the Lyric’s New Gallery. Opening remarks by Anna Liesching, Curator of Art at Ulster Museum and National Museums NI
WE DO IT FOR LOVE:
A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION OF THE LYRIC AND ULSTER ORCHESTRA
This summer, three very special performances mark a double birthday celebration - 75 years of the Lyric Theatre, and 60 years of the Ulster Orchestra. Join stars of stage and screen as 15 musicians take to the stage on 21 and 22 August for a very special performance that celebrates two of our great cultural institutions. Explore the rich heritage of the Lyric’s musical past through song, scores, and symphony, and acclaimed original musicals including “We Do it for Love” and “Propaganda” to classic hits like “The Wizard of Oz”, “Hello, Dolly!” and “A Little Night Music”.
THRESHOLD SPECIAL EDITION REISSUE LAUNCH
Join us for the launch of Threshold: Lyric Players Belfast, a special edition reissue of the Lyric’s literary journal that saw contributions from Ireland’s esteemed writers and playwrights, including Seamus Heaney, Christina Reid, Brian Friel, Medbh McGuckian, Michael Montague, Mary O’Malley and more.
As we continue celebrating this incredible milestone, we will be hosting a wide range of events throughout the year, including exhibitions, artist workshops, live concerts, green initiatives, outreach and education projects, all with the aim of bringing our community together to celebrate the theatre’s past, present and future.
We’d love to share the news with you first – join our mailing list to hear more about events as they’re announced at lyrictheatre.co.uk
EXhIBITION
30 JAN - 08 NOV 2026
The Return: Alice Berger Hammerschlag and the New Gallery reconnects visual art and theatre at the Lyric, revisiting an overlooked chapter of the theatre’s history. Through painting and archival materials, the exhibition explores the legacy of the Lyric’s New Gallery (1963–69) and its sole curator, artist, visionary and founding Lyric Player Alice Berger Hammerschlag (1919-69).
Curated by Collector and Curator Matthew Maw and the Lyric’s Heritage Manager Patsy McCartan, the exhibition spotlights the New Gallery’s avantgarde offerings, with a focus on women artists. Artists featured: Alice Berger Hammerschlag, Anna Ritchie, Brian Ferran, Colin Middleton, Deborah Brown, Elizabeth Leonard, George MacCann, Jean Osbourne, Kathleen Bell, Neil Shawcross, T.P. Flanagan.
The Return is part of the Lyric’s ongoing exhibition, A House of Play, made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, this exhibition will run until 8 November. The exhibition is free and will be accompanied by a public programme of workshops, talks and events throughout 2026.
AT A GLANCE
LyRIc+ MEMBERShIp
Be the first to book and 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.
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 BEAUT y.’
Big Hair, Bigger Hearts, and razor-sharp wit await you this summer with the Lyric’s hilarious and heart-warming summer show, Steel Magnolias.
Written by Robert Harling and turned into a hit 1989 film starring Dolly Parton and Julia Roberts, this iconic comedy directed by Emily Foran, is the perfect ticket for every generation and proves that one hair appointment might just change your life.
Steel Magnolias tells the story of the enduring bond between six remarkable women: Truvy, M’Lynn, Shelby, Annelle, Ouiser, and Clairee, who come together in Truvy’s Beauty Spot in Northwest Louisiana and prove that female friendship conquers all. At the centre is Shelby, a young bride-to-be whose bright future seems certain - but as the seasons change, the women find themselves facing life’s highs and lows with grace, humour, and an endless supply of hairspray.
Pull up a chair as these six sassy southern spitfires spill the sweet tea in their weekly beauty salon ritual. You’ll laugh and cry in this celebration of love, loss, and the fierce friendships that see us through.
Steel Magnolias is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk
dARK FOREST ThEATRE pRESENTS:
A F ILTHY D IRTY R UMOUR
WRITTEN & dIREcTEd By
NAThAN MARTIN
IT’S ThE LIES WE TELL OURSELVES ThAT WILL KILL US IN ThE ENd.
In the suffocating quiet of 1950s Belfast, Ruth and Oscar’s marriage is already over—though neither dares to say it aloud. Childless, sexless, and bound by silence, they exist side by side as strangers. One evening, Ruth invites their new lodger Eva in for a drink, and in that fleeting moment of tenderness, something dangerous is awakened.
When Ruth’s devout sister Alma witnesses the encounter, she sees not vulnerability but sin. Her judgement sets off a devastating chain reaction, exposing buried desires and unravelling lives already stretched to breaking point.
15:00 | 20:00
£16 - £22 TIMES:
THE PITCH
EAST BELFAST | A gAELIc FOOTBALL pITch | ThREE UNLIKELy FRIENdS.
Sports mad, local boy Robbie has lived in Sydenham his whole life. He practices football every day on his favourite pitch, with his younger sister Melissa. GAA player Deren has lived in East Belfast since he was a kid too, but he’s never had a pitch to call home.
All that begins to change when plans are revealed for THE PITCH to be turned into a Gaelic Football ground. For Robbie it’s an invasion of his culture. For Deren it’s a chance to play the sport he loves, on a pitch that isn’t miles away. For Melissa it’s an opportunity to try out this ‘niche’ little sport she’d never really paid attention to!
Presented in partnership with the Pleasance Theatre Trust as part of the Edinburgh National Partnerships.
15:00 | 20:00 £16 - £22
MOyA JANE pROdUcTIONS pRESENTS
WRITTEN By phILIp cAThERWOOd | dIREcTEd By ThEA MAyEUX
THRESHOLD: LYRIC PLAYERS BELFAST
After more than 30 years’ hiatus, we are reviving Threshold, the Lyric’s former literary journal which ran from 1957-1990. Some of the island’s most esteemed literary and artistic voices: Brian Friel, Seamus Heaney, Christina Reid, John Montague, Medbh McGuckian, and T.P. Flanagan, will all feature in this upcoming limited edition re-run of the publication. This beautiful coffee table book features a curated selection of poems, short stories and polemics alongside never-before-seen archival photography and objects from the theatre’s history. In celebration of our 75th anniversary, seventyfive limited edition copies of the publication will feature a slipcase with the theatre’s original harp motif and a signed limited edition print by artist Neil Shawcross.
Join us for the launch of this special publication on 21 August.
S E á N M AGUIRE : Ó MÓS
The Seán Maguire Memorial Concert, in association with the Seán Maguire Music Society, celebrates the Belfast fiddle master’s virtuosic, boundary-pushing legacy.
This year’s lineup features Dezi Donnelly, Bríd Harper, Cathal Hayden, Nollaig Casey, Brian Conway, Kathleen Boyle, Seamie O’Dowd and the Northern Counties Fiddle Society. Promising an evening of expressive, highenergy music that honours tradition while pushing it forward, reflecting Maguire’s enduring influence on Irish fiddle playing.
LyRIc ThEATRE pROdUcTION IN cOLLABORATION WITh ULSTER ORchESTRA
WE D O I T FOR L OVE
This summer, three very special performances mark a double birthday celebration - 75 years of the Lyric Theatre, and 60 years of the Ulster Orchestra.
Join stars of stage and screen as 15 musicians take to the stage on 21 and 22 August for a very special performance that celebrates two of our great cultural institutions. All pieces are newly orchestrated by Conor Mitchell, exploring the rich heritage of the Lyric’s musical past through song, scores, and symphony, from acclaimed original musicals including We Do it for Love and Propaganda to classic hits like The Wizard of Oz, Hello, Dolly! and A Little Night Music.
gBL & RAThMORE pROdUcTIONS pRESENTS
THE B LIND F IDDLER
MARIE JONES’ MAgIc WEAVES LIVE TRAdITIONAL MUSIc WITh OUR UNIQUE SENSE OF hUMOUR FOR UN-FLEAdh-gETTABLE ShOW.
Inspired by a true story, the narrative follows Kathleen Gormley, a woman on a pilgrimage to Lough Derg to commune with her dead father and find out the answers to who he truly was and why they drifted apart. As she undergoes the penances and rituals of the sacred island, Kathleen is transported back through the memories of her life as she attempts to understand her parents’ relationship and the forces that drove their family apart from 1970’s Northern Ireland to the 1990’s.
TIMES:
14:30 | 19:30
£16 - £38
By MARIE JONES OBE | dIREcTEd By MATThEW McELhINNEy
JUST TEA & FRIENdS pRESENTS:
O RDINARY D AYS
BOOK, MUSIc ANd LyRIcS By AdAM gWON
FOUR STRANgERS. ONE cIT y. cOUNTLESS ORdINARy MOMENTS ThAT chANgE EVERyThINg.
Set in a vibrant New York City still living in the shadow of 9/11, Ordinary Days follows four strangers whose lives unexpectedly intersect as they search for meaning, connection and a place to belong. Through a witty, heartfelt and soaring contemporary score, this intimate musical uncovers the big picture within the smallest, quietest moments of everyday life.
This amateur production of ORDINARY DAYS is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk
TIMES:
15:00 | 20:00 £16 - £21
WOOdEN BRIdgE pROdUcTIONS pRESENTS
T HE L IFE & T IMES OF
P ADDY A RMSTRONG
By
BAcK AFTER SOLd-OUT RUN AT ThE LyRIc. ThE TENdER ANd OFTEN hILARIOUS INSIghT INTO ThE LIFE ANd TIMES OF pAddy ARMSTRONg.
Fifty years after his wrongful conviction, at the age of 74, Paddy is facing into his twilight years and wrestling with a thousand turbulent memories. In Paddy he relives the moving, tender and often hilarious journey that forever altered his destiny. A one-man show, starring Don Wycherley as Paddy, the play is inspired by Paddy’s memoir Life After Life, a Guildford Four Memoir. Paddy is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of forgiveness, reminding us that the privilege of freedom and love, family and everyday life can restore us and mend the scars of even the most savage injustice.
Don Wycherley brings unflinching honesty, pathos and humour to his portrayal of Paddy, a man failed and scarred by a flawed system yet refusing to be defined by it.
TIMES:
14:30 | 19:30
PRICE: 14+ MAIN STAGE
£16 - £36
AGE: STAGE:
WRITTEN
MARy-ELAINE T yNAN, dON WychERLEy & NIAMh gLEESON | dIREcTEd By MARy-ELAINE T yNAN
LYRIC O N T OUR
As a self-producing theatre, the Lyric creates work rooted in our community and shaped by homegrown talent. Taking our productions on tour is a natural extension of that, sharing our stories with wider audiences across the UK and beyond.
Touring allows our artists to connect with new audiences and bring fresh perspectives into the cultural conversation. It’s something we’re proud of: taking the work we make here and giving it a life far beyond our walls.
The Lyric on tour is more than a change of location - it’s our voice, travelling further.
The Lyric is delighted to be partnering with the Irish Arts Center, New York, on two exciting projects this year.
NORTh STAR By
KWAME dANIELS
IRISH ARTS CENTER | NEW YORk CITY
North Star is a live music and spoken word performance inspired by the speeches of abolitionist Frederick Douglass during his historic visit to Belfast in 1845. Conceived and developed by Kwame Daniels, this collaborative, immersive standing-room show fuses artistic responses to Douglass’s experience from an eclectic range of contemporary artists—including hip-hop, jazz, gospel, electronic and classical musicians, poets, and young people from Belfast and New York—in a moving, provocative artistic journey rooted in Black culture and inspired by Douglass’s deep connection with Belfast. Produced and presented by the Irish Arts Centre and Solab in association with the Lyric Theatre. Running at IAC from 3rd June to 21st June.
FROgS
By pAUL MULdOON
JOE’S PUB AT THE PUBLIC THEATER | NEW YORk
CITY
The Frogs is a platform performance featuring songs from a new rock musical adapted by Paul Muldoon and inspired by Aristophanes, the ancient Greek comic playwright best known for satirical, political, and often surreal comedies. The performance will be staged at Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater, New York on 29th June and 2nd July. We hope the work will cross the Atlantic to Belfast next year.
ThE pITch By phILIp cAThERWOOd
BABY GRAND AT THE PLEASANCE COURTYARD , PLEASANCE THEATRE | EDINBURGH
We have been proud partners of the Pleasance Theatre through its Edinburgh National Partnerships programme since 2023, supporting a different artist or company from Northern Ireland each year to bring their work to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The scheme’s primary aim is to identify and champion outstanding talent from Northern Ireland and across the UK, enabling them to present work on this international stage.
In 2026, we are supporting The Pitch by Philip Catherwood, providing guidance and resources as the production prepares for its Edinburgh Fringe debut.
WASTEBUSTERS
By
REBEccA AppLIN NORTHERN IRELAND TOUR
Wastebusters is a Theatre-In-Education piece, produced by our award-winning Creative Learning team. Proudly supported by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Wastebusters has been touring to primary schools across Northern Ireland for the last four years reaching combined audiences of over 16,000 young people. Wastebusters is designed to raise awareness on a number of key environmental issues such as plastic pollution and waste prevention. It is a high impact, exciting way to support children’s learning on the environment.
P ARTITIONS
WRITTEN & pERFORMEd By JOE
NAWAz
pARTITIONS! ThEy’RE EVERyWhERE, AREN’T ThEy? OFFIcE SpAcES, BLAcK TAXIS, LANdMASSES... WRITER JOE NAWAz FANcIES hE KNOWS A ThINg OR TWO ABOUT ThE “p” WORd.
In this hilarious whirlwind collision of the personal and the political, Joe uses his family’s complex relationship with partition to trace a finger over the scar left by colonial separations. Continents are crossed, dark Hollywood secrets are revealed and Fermanagh family folklore is explored in this spellbinding show which weaves intimate revelations with wider historical perspective and discovers that partitions are still very much alive and well today – but definitely not living in Chiswick…
Joe’s previous work includes the critically-acclaimed one man shows Fake ID and Five Days.
£16 - £22 TIMES:
SKELpIELIMMER pROdUcTIONS, FRONT ANd cENTRE, ANd AN gRIANáN ThEATRE
H ELLO C HARLIE
WRITTEN By cAOIMhE FARREN | dIREcTEd By gINA dONNELLy & SEóN SIMpSON
MULTI-AWARd-NOMINATEd pLAy ABOUT TWO SISTERS By dERRy BORN pLAyWRIghT, cAOIMhE FARREN.
Hello Charlie follows sisters Maeve and Kate. They have fled their past trauma in Derry and now live in London. Hedonistic Maeve binge-drinks to oblivion; stoic Kate sees history repeating itself. But Maeve dodges culpability for her drunken antics; the blame clearly lies with her beloved, inebriated alter-ego: Charlie. A laugh out loud dark comedy that is courageous and fiercely original in its portrayal of addiction.
Hello Charlie was developed as part of The Lyric’s New Playwrights Programme. It was shortlisted for The Women’s Prize for Playwriting, and a finalist for the inaugural Victoria Wood Playwriting Prize for Comedy. Produced by SkelpieLimmer, Front and Centre, and An Grianán Theatre. In association with Pavilion Theatre, Fishamble, and Lyric Theatre Belfast.
TIMES:
15:00 | 20:00
PRICE: 16+ NAUGHTON STUDIO
£16 - £22
AGE: STAGE:
Artwork
F AITH H EALER
WRITTEN By BRIAN FRIEL | dIREcTEd By EMMA JORdAN
Hailed by The Guardian as one of the greatest plays of the twentieth century, Faith Healer has captivated audiences worldwide since its premiere in 1979.
Travelling through the remote villages of Scotland and Wales, Frank Hardy is promising miracle cures to those with afflicted with sickness and pain. Part showman, part shaman, his gift is astonishing and dangerously unreliable. As Frank, his wife Grace and manager Teddy recount their life on the road, their stories reveal competing versions of the same events in this poetic exploration of a charismatic conman and the consequences of his creative story telling.
“A quietly devastating study of pain recollected and the transfiguring nature of memory. It is one of those rare works of art audiences are destined to recall as a deeply personal experience, and you’ll find yourself trying to sort out the different visions of reality… long after the play is over.’’
- NEW YORK TIMES.
BRIAN FRIEL’S FAITh hEALER RETURNS TO BELFAST ThIS OcTOBER IN A MAJOR pROdUcTION STARRINg cONLETh hILL. 14:30 | 19:30 £16-£40 14+ MAIN STAGE
TIMES: PRICE: AGE: STAGE:
BIg TELLy pRESENTS:
D ARREN J AC k SON ’ S WEDDING
TOgEThER WITh ThEIR FAMILIES
dARREN JAcKSON (EMOTIONALLY DEVOTED, DIGITAL NATIVE, FALLIBLE)
SARAh hALdEN (ARTIFICIALLY INTELLIGENT, INTUITIVE, KEEN TO LEARN)
REQUEST ThE pLEASURE OF yOUR cOMpANy AT ThE cELEBRATION OF ThEIR MARRIAgE, AS MAN MEETS MAchINE ANd LOgIc MEETS LOVE.
After the award winning whirlwind tour of Granny Jackson’s Dead (Best Production Off Broadway, The Stage Top 50 Shows), the Jackson family are back – and this time they’re hosting a wedding. Darren’s marrying an AI, Susan’s up the walls, Ronnie’s away with the fairies … and you’re invited. Darren may be hopelessly devoted but can this be real love - what if the groom’s been groomed and the deep fake is on the take?
Meet at a secret location and be our guest when the bliss backfires …Dress to impress, hold your peace (if you can), and get set for a celebration you’ll never forget… for better or worse.
TIMES:
WRITTEN By zOE SEATON, ShELLEy ATKINSON ANd cOMpANy 14:30 | 19:30
PRICE: 16+ NAUGHTON STUDIO
£16 - £22
AGE: STAGE:
BELFAST INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL
MARY DILLON, DÓNAL O’CONNOR & NEIL MARTIN
ALBUM LAUNch cONcERT
FOLLOWINg A STRINg OF SOLd-OUT pERFORMANcES, MARy dILLON, dóNAL O’cONNOR, ANd NEIL MARTIN LAUNch ThEIR LONg-AWAITEd dEBUT ALBUM AS pART OF BELFAST INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL.
Together, these three exceptional artists create a spellbinding tapestry of traditional and contemporary sounds. Breathing new life into timeless Ulster songs and dance tunes, they marry Mary Dillon’s luminous, evocative voice with the rich, expressive interplay of fiddle, cello, and harmonium. The result is music that feels both deeply rooted and strikingly fresh, a powerful testament to the vitality of Ireland’s living tradition.
Together, Dillon, O’Connor and Martin bring a rare depth of artistry and musical connection to the stage, creating an unforgettable live experience.
‘Three of traditional music’s best’ - THE IRISH WORLD
TIMES:
PRICE:
19:30
£16 - £27
AGE: STAGE: ALL MAIN STAGE
pRIME cUT pROdUcTIONS pRESENTS:
THE HUMAN VOICE
pRIME cUT pROdUcTIONS, IRELANd’S LEAdINg INdEpENdENT ANd AWARd WINNINg ThEATRE cOMpANy, RETURN TO ThE LyRIc WITh ThEIR cRITIcALLy AccLAIMEd NEW VERSION OF JEAN cOcTEAU’S ThE hUMAN VOIcE By dARREN MURphy.
Directed by award-winning Emma Jordan (Little Brother, The Pillowman, The Beauty Queen of Leenane) and starring Nicky Harley, (The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Dancing at Lughnasa), in a performance described as “fabulous” and “riveting”, this new version is a radical reimagining of Cocteau’s work, “an impeccable piece of theatre”.
It is 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.
“Nicky Harley is fearless...supreme, instinctive” THE STAGE
“A hard-hitting raw and powerful drama that examines human will and reality”
VIEW DIGITAL
WRITTEN By JEAN cOcTEAU IN A NEW VERSION By dARREN MURphy | dIREcTEd By EMMA JORdAN
B ODY C OUNT
IT’S NOT ENOUgh ThAT IT hAppENEd IT’S NOT ENOUgh TO hAVE pROOF yOU hAVE TO BE BELIEVEd
“I became known as the girl who lied about being raped. And that’s what I really don’t want for you, love. We handle it ourselves. We keep it a secret and we deal with it as a family. If nobody knows, it can be easier for you.”
A brand-new play from firebrand writer Gary Mitchell, Body Count takes an eyes-wide-open look at the aftermath of being a survivor of sexual assault, the culture it thrives in, and the ways we don’t deal with it.
A Replay Theatre Company Production in partnership with The Playhouse
REpLAy ThEATRE cOMpANy IN pARTNERShIp WITh ThE pLAyhOUSE
WRITTEN By gARy MITchELL | dIREcTEd By JANIcE KERNOghAN-REId
NUNKIE ThEATRE cOMpANy pRESENTS:
A P LEASING T ERROR
WRITTEN By M R JAMES | pERFORMEd By R M LLOyd pARRy
TWO ENThRALLINg TALES FROM ThE MASTER OF ThE ENgLISh ghOST STORy
Over a century after they were first published, the ghost stories of M R James retain their power to terrify and amuse. This gripping one man show retells two of the earliest and eeriest.
In Canon Alberic’s Scrap-book, a young Cambridge antiquary discovers the devil in the details of an old book in a medieval town in the French Pyrenees…
In The Mezzotint a ghoulish revenge is enacted within a work of art, before the helpless eyes of a museum curator in Oxford…
“Wonderful, magical storytelling” The Daily Mail 15:00 | 20:00 £16 - £22
BRIghT UMBRELLA ThEATRE cOMpANy pRESENTS:
S PACEBUC k ET R IDES A GAIN
WRITTEN By SAM ROBINSON | dIREcTEd By TREVOR gILL
1979 - ThE BALLyBEEN ESTATE
It’s 1979. There’s a rumour on the Ballybeen Estate that the British army is behind the new mobile laundry service, which according to Big Sandra is… “awful good of them, it’s not as if they haven’t enough to do”. Marty says they can tell if you’re a terrorist by the state of your underwear. Wee Jim reckons that if that’s the case Spacebucket’s Ma should be in Long Kesh. Oh, and there’s a new girl in the flats, she’s arrived in “The Been” just at the same time as puberty, which doesn’t bode well. Sammy can’t understand why anyone would want to throw a sausage up Royal Avenue.
They’re back, Sammy, Marty, Wee Jim and Spacebucket, roaming Ballybeen, the biggest housing estate in western Europe, in the sequel to the outrageous “sell out” stage play GUY MITCHELL’S DOG’S DEAD, PASS IT ON.
TIMES:
15:00 | 20:00 £16 - £22
TIM McgARRy
T HE H EIGHT OF NONSENSE
Tim McGarry is back on the road with his brand new solo stand up show The Height of Nonsense. Following the huge success of his Ridiculous tour, Tim has now reached a stage in life where he couldn’t give a f…flying monkeys.
Concerned about the state of the world? Worried you don’t have enough Tik Tok followers and that Netflix may finally run out of true crimes? Don’t panic! Instead let a veteran 6 foot 4 comedian reassure you that there’s nothing to worry about – it’s all nonsense. So we may as well just relax and have a good laugh.
TIMES:
PRICE:
AGE:
STAGE:
TERESA LIVINgSTONE
N ICE L ADY
Teresa Livingstone, one of Northern Ireland’s top comedy acts and skilled pianist and singer, takes to the Lyric Main Stage with her hilarious new show Nice Lady.
Blending stand-up comedy and original songs, Teresa explores what happens when a fortysomething Northern Irish woman stops being “nice” and starts telling the truth. The result is a riotously funny and heartfelt celebration of reclaiming your voice, taking up space, and laughing loudly while you do it.
TIMES: PRICE:
AGE: STAGE:
Y OU CAN ’ T SAY NOTHING ANYMORE
Vittorio Angelone has always denied any involvement in stand-up comedy or stand-up comedy related activities.
Vittorio Angelone is an Italian-Irish comedian from Belfast. He has accelerated through the comedy ranks at an anxiety inducing rate and was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2022.
AOIFE dUNNE
GOOD GRIEF
After selling out her 2025 tour — including Edinburgh Fringe, Galway International Arts Festival and major Irish venues — Aoife Dunne extends her acclaimed debut Good Grief (★★★ ★Chortle) into 2026 due to huge demand.
A rising force in Irish comedy and storytelling, Aoife blends humour, heartbreak and razor-sharp insight as she explores loss, finds connection and brings to life the strange and hilarious ways we survive what we never thought we’d face.
gRIMES & McKEE pRESENTS:
HOW GRIMES & MC k EE STOLE CHRISTMAS
ThE KINgS OF cOMEdy ARE BAcK AT ThE LyRIc FOR A chRISTMAS ShOW ThAT dEFINITELy ISN’T FOR ThE WhOLE FAMILy. cOME ONE, cOME ALL, TO ThE chRISTMAS ShOW ThAT WILL hAVE yOU LAUghINg yOUR hEAd OFF ALL ThE WAy hOME.
Grimes & McKee get together to write a Christmas show in the middle of a summer heat wave. As they order another round of mojitos by the pool, they are both agreed there’s plenty of time to write a masterpiece: a proper play, with songs and a host of characters, and maybe a plot, even if they have to steal one from somebody else. There’s no chance that they’ll prevaricate for months and end up starting rehearsals in November without a word yet written. No chance at all…
15:00 | 20:00 £16 - £27
Photography: Polka Dot Photo
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“cAREFULLy cRAFTEd pROdUcTION” THE STAGE
THE ARTS DISPATCH THE IRISH TIMES
L ITTLE W OMEN
WRITTEN By LOUISA MAy ALcOTT | AdApTEd By ANNE-MARIE cASEy | dIREcTEd By EMILy FORAN ThIS REVIVAL WILL BE dIREcTEd By ASSOcIATE dIREcTOR dEBRA hILL
LOUISA MAy ALcOTT’S BELOVEd STORy IS BEAUTIFULLy REIMAgINEd IN ANNE-MARIE cASEy’S AccLAIMEd AdApTATION, BRINgINg FRESh FESTIVE LIFE TO A chERIShEd cLASSIc.
Step into the magic of the festive season with the return of Little Women this Christmas. Wrapped in warmth, joy, and togetherness, this timeless story invites families to share in the heartfelt journey of the March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, as they grow up surrounded by love, laughter, and the true spirit of the holidays.
Guided by their caring and wise mother, Marmee, the sisters navigate the changing seasons of life— where girlhood transforms into womanhood, and dreams begin to take shape against the realities of the world around them. Through moments of joy, challenge, and quiet reflection, their bond deepens, revealing the strength found in family, resilience, and love.
Along the way, they discover that even the smallest acts of kindness can have a lasting impact, offering what they can to those less fortunate and reflecting the generous spirit often felt at this time of year.
Sensible Meg dreams of a cosy home, spirited Jo follows her passion for storytelling, gentle Beth brings music and warmth to those around her, and creative Amy delights in beauty and ambition. With friendships, personal growth, and the passage of time at its heart, Little Women is a rich and uplifting story, perfect for the family to experience together this Christmas.
Originally directed by Emily Foran in 2024, this revival production will be directed by Associate Director Debra Hill
TIMES:
PRICE:
AGE:
STAGE:
VARIOUS
£16-£40
12+
MAIN STAGE