This Sh*t Happens All The Time - Digital Programme

A FOREWARD FROM OUR EXECUTIVE PRODUCER “The Lyric’s mission is to create, entertain and inspire, we are committed to delivering quality theatre from exceptional artists and especially new writing. We are very proud to produce Amanda Verlaque’s 'This Shit Happens All The Time' in association with Imagine! Belfast Festival. Directed by Rhiann Jeffrey and starring Caoimhe Farren, this courageous new play offers audiences an emotional rollercoaster ride through a challenging love story that confronts us with our own accountability in defending the vulnerable against the forces of hate”.

JIMMY FAY

DIRECTOR, RHIANN JEFFREY “I’m going to tell you a story. On the one hand it’s a love story, on the other, a nightmare. In one sense it belongs in the past, but it is very much a part of our present and we all own it.”

The first question I always ask myself when directing a show, is ‘why here, why now?’

Why do audiences in Northern Ireland need to hear this story, and why should we be the ones to tell it?

There are the facts; same-sex marriage only just became legal in NI in 2020, five years after Ireland and six years after the rest of the UK. There were 246 homophobic hate crime offences reported by the police in NI 2021, compared with 195 the previous reporting year.

And there are the experiences. On the first day of rehearsals, I got a taxi to work and on the short drive to the Lyric I was asked what show I was working on.

‘Well, it’s a story based on a true event that deals with homophobic hate crime, coercive control but also the celebration of lesbian visibility,’ I replied. Earlier in the conversation he had shown an interest in theatre, so I suggested that he came to watch the show. ‘The only lesbians I’m interested in watching are the ones on the internet when the wife’s away’ he guffawed, as he winked at me in the rear-view mirror.

This sh*t happens ALL the time, and that’s a pretty tame example. These are just a few of the hundreds of reasons why this story needs to be told and why putting queer stories centre stage is so absolutely necessary. As Amanda articulates perfectly in the script; “A lot has changed, but I don’t want to settle for ‘it’s better than it used to be'.”

This production for me, is storytelling in its purest, rawest form. There’s no set or props for a reason (and surprisingly, not a budgetary one!) Connection and intimacy were always key in the vision for the piece. I want you to feel like you know her. That it could be your friend, sister, daughter telling this story I’d like to thank our team for such a beautifully creative and warm-hearted experience whilst producing this piece, legends the lot of you. A special thank you to Caoimhe for her relentless energy, interrogation and transcendent talent, and to Amanda for her courage, trust and ability to draw so much beauty from such a painful experience. It has been a powerful and encouraging experience to have so many strong female artists bringing this story to life on the Lyric’s stage and it’s a privilege to be able to share it with you all. Love.

IN THE REHEARSAL ROOM

Caoimhe Farren Me

Amanda Verlaque Writer

Rhiann Jeffrey Director

Caoimhe was born in Derry and currently lives in London where she trained at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA).

Lyric Theatre credits include: Hello Charlie, a rehearsed reading of Caoimhe’s first play; developed as part of the Lyric’s New Playwright Programme 2021.

Amanda is a writer for stage, screen and VR. The MAC, Belfast produced her critically acclaimed debut play Distortion, and her radio play Lolly, which featured in their On The Street Where We Live audio series (which she also executive produced). She’s just made her debut as a director for VR with her short film Egg, produced by RETìníZE.

Rhiann is a Freelance Theatre Director and Associate Director for Prime Cut Productions.

Theatre includes: Scenes from an Inquiry (The Playhouse), Chemistry, A Brief List of Everyone Who Died (Finborough Theatre and Finborough Theatre online), The Ferryman (Gielgud Theatre), V.E. (King’s Head Theatre), Outsiders, Clickbait (The Bunker), Confidence/Supply, Carnivores, Girls & Dolls (Southwark Playhouse), EleXion (Theatre 503), Growth (Old Red Lion), The Commissioners (Company of Angels), Dancing at Lughnasa (Ireland tour), Snow White: The Remix, Under the Carpet (The Playhouse) Woman of Troy, Government Inspector, Coram Boy, Philissnes, Twelfth Night, Blood Wedding, All’s Well That Ends Well (ALRA).

Television includes: Willow (Disney+), This Way Up, Derry Girls, (Channel 4/Netflix) Doctors (BBC).

Amanda’s career in the creative industries began as an arts and entertainment journalist before moving into TV drama and film.

She enjoyed 25 years as an award winning script editor, storyliner, producer and executive producer on dramas such as Holy Cross, Red Rock and Ups & Downs for broadcasters and companies including BBC, RTE, Blinder Films and Tiger Aspect.

Recent directing credits include; Ensemble: Symbols for Prime Cut Productions, Distortion by Amanda Verlaque for the Mac Theatre, Blowing Minds by Rosemary Jenkinson as part of SIX by Brassneck, a short film by Jan Carson The Pause Between Now and Next for the Irish Arts Centre, New York, in association with the Lyric Theatre, On the Street Where We Live an 8-part audio play produced by The Mac, Belfast 2050: Under the Albert Clock produced by the Lyric Theatre in association with Origin Theatre Company (New York Times Critics Pick), Life From Time, a short film by Caoileann Curry-Thomspon, No Explanation a short film by Kyron Bourke, VERGE new play readings for Prime Cut Productions, Glory: Desire for NI Opera Studio, The Right Twig for Fighting Words, 'The Tempest' for Rose Bruford College and Everyday I Wake Up Hopeful, by John Patrick Higgins for Prime Cut Productions.

Caoimhe McGee Deputy Stage Manager

Sarah Jane Shields Lighting Designer

Erin Charteris Costume Designer

Caoimhe is a freelance stage manager and theatre maker originally from Donegal. Caoimhe recently graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a BA in Drama followed by an MA in Arts Management.

SJ began designing lighting in Dublin Youth Theatre, completing M.Sc in Interactive Digital Media 2021 and a BA in Drama and Theatre Studies 2006 (Trinity), and the Rough Magic Seeds3 programme 2006 - 2008. From 2010 – 2017, she was co-artistic director of WillFredd Theatre.

Erin graduated from Queens University in 2011 with a BA Hons in English Literature. She has worked at the Lyric Theatre since it reopened in 2011 and works full time in the Costume Department. During a five month sabbatical from the Lyric she worked as a maker on season six of Game of Thrones. She received a certificate in historical hair styling in 2018 and has since made historically accurate wigs for museum interpretation.

Her recent credits include Deputy Stage Manager on Theatre at the Mill’s Jingle All the Hairspray by Caroline Curran, directed by Fionnuala Kennedy, and Sodabread Theatre’s A Night in November at the Chiswick Playhouse, London and The MAC, Belfast; Stage Manager on Oona Doherty’s Fly the Flag project in association with Sky Arts and The MAC, and Orla Graham and Kirby Thompson’s Occupied at The Golden Goose Theatre, London and Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin.

She has also worked with Prime Cut Productions, Cahoots NI, Headrush, Ireland, Dumbworld Productions and on various independent projects.

Her debut play FRESHERS has just premiered at Smock Allies Scene and Heard Festival in Dublin.

Previous designs for the Lyric include All Mod Cons and Educating Rita.

Other recent lighting designs include SHIT, Conversations After Sex (This Is Pop Baby), All the Angels (Rough Magic Theatre Company), Book of Names (ANU Productions), The Veiled Ones (Junk Ensemble), Afterlove (Stephanie Dufresne, Galway Dance Project, Galway Arts Festival), One Good Turn (Abbey Theatre), Hansel and Gretel (Irish National Opera, Theatre Lovett, Abbey Theatre), A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings (Collapsing Horse).

Costume Design Credits: Lyric Theatre credits include: The Comedy of Errors; Light Shining in Buckinghamshire; Oedipus the King; Our Country's Good; The Miracle; 55 Days; What Are They Like?; Mistletoe and Crime; Eternal Love, The Ladykillers and Alice The Musical, Peter Pan, Sadie, Pinocchio, This Shit Happens All the Time.

Other credits include: Yes, So I Said Yes; Normal; Breathing Water; The Golden Point and Afterwards; Greenshoot Productions; Frankenstein; Proni: Titanic Centenary Event; City Hall: Titanic Centenary Event, History of Stormont immersive experience, Kabosh: Partition Stories with the National Museums of Northern Ireland, Kabosh; Callings.

Garth McConaghie Sound Designer Garth has worked extensively as a Composer, Sound Designer, Musical Director, Arranger and Music Producer for studios, theatre, film and television.

Garth's work has been performed and broadcast all over the UK, Ireland and internationally as part of theatrical productions, exhibitions, art installations, television and radio.

Recent TV/Radio Credits include: Derry Girls (Hat Trick Productions, Channel 4), Flight (BBC 1 / BBC 4), My Mother and Other Strangers (BBC 1), Malaria, Comic Relief, Days Like This (BBC NI, nominated for IFTA), Wee Wise Words (BBC NI), Not Now Farley (BBC Learning Zone), On the Air (BBC NI), Ulster Volunteers (RTE), A Year in Sex City (DoubleBand Films/BBC 1).

Recent Theatre Credits include: X’ntigone (Prime Cut Productions / MAC, Belfast), The Border Game (Prime Cut Productions), A Night in November (Soda Bread, Chiswick Playhouse), Mojo Mickybo (Bruiser), In the Name of the Son (GBL Productions), A Christmas Carol (MAC Belfast),

Rebus: Long Shadows (Birmingham Repertory Theatre), The Miami Showband Story (GBL Productions, Grand Opera House, Belfast, Gaiety Theatre, Dublin), Bouncers (Big Telly / MAC Belfast), Spud! (Lyric Theatre, Belfast), Freak Show (Big Telly), Tamed (Southwark Playhouse, London), The Elves and the Shoemaker (MAC Belfast, Cahoots NI), A Night In November (Lyric Theatre, Belfast), Penguins (Cahoots NI, Birmingham Repertory Theatre), Under the Hawthorn Tree (Cahoots NI, MAC Belfast), Hansel & Gretel (MAC Belfast), Recent Theatre Credits (contd): Aladdin (SSE Arena, Belfast), Nivelli's War (Cahoots NI, New Victory Theater, Broadway, New York, Lyric theatre, Belfast), The Faerie Thorn (Big Telly), Madame Geneva (Macha Productions), Pinocchio (MAC Belfast, Cahoots NI), Macbeth (YMT:UK, Lyric Theatre, Belfast, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, RADA Studios and Sadler's Wells Theatre), Christmas Eve Can Kill You (Lyric Theatre, Belfast), Shh! We Have a Plan (Cahoots NI, touring China, 2019), Egg, (Cahoots NI, touring USA, 2016), The Scarlet Web (Big Telly), Mistletoe & Crime (Lyric Theatre, Belfast), Sometimes There's Light [Sometimes There's Dark] (Moving Dust, Asylum, London and touring, 2014), God of Carnage (Prime Cut Productions), Crazy (GBL Productions), My English Tongue, My Irish Heart (Green Shoot Productions), Forget Turkey (Lyric Theatre, Belfast).

THE COMPANY ME

CAOIMHE FARREN

PRINCIPAL FUNDER

WRITER DIRECTOR LIGHTING DESIGN SOUND DESIGN COSTUME DESIGN

AMANDA VERLAQUE RHIANN JEFFREY SARAH JANE SHIELS GARTH MCCONAGHIE ERIN CHARTERIS

ALSO FUNDED BY

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER PRODUCER HEAD OF PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER COMPANY STAGE MANAGER STAGE MANAGER & COVID COMPLIANCE OFFICER DEPUTY STAGE MANAGER

JIMMY FAY MORAG KEATING ADRIAN MULLAN SIOBHÁN BARBOUR AIMEE YATES

CASTING DIRECTOR SENIOR TECHNICIAN TECHNICIANS

CLARE GAULT IAN VENNARD ADRIAN WALL CORENTIN WEST GERARD MCCORRY

MARKETING MANAGER MARKETING OFFICER PHOTOGRAPHY

RACHEL LEITCH LUCY BROWNLIE CARRIE DAVENPORT JOHNNY FRAZER CHRISTOPHER HEANEY

MAKE UP ARTIST

NUALA CAMPBELL

THE LYRIC IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY

STEPHEN DIX CAOIMHE MCGEE

The Lyric Theatre is a registered charity. Charity number NIC100173

LYRIC STAFF BOARD OF DIRECTORS SIR BRUCE ROBINSON (CHAIRMAN) STEPHEN DOUDS (VICE CHAIRMAN) NUALA DONNELLY

STAFF EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SENIOR PRODUCER CASTING DIRECTOR LITERARY MANAGER PRODUCTION ASSISTANT HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING MARKETING MANAGER MARKETING OFFICERS

DEVELOPMENT OFFICER HEAD OF PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER COMPANY STAGE MANAGER STAGE MANAGERS

PATRICIA McBRIDE MIKE MULLAN DR MARK PHELAN

JIMMY FAY MORAG KEATING CLARE GAULT REBECCA MAIRS KERRY FITZSIMMONS

BOX OFFICE MANAGER BOX OFFICE SUPERVISOR

EMILY WHITE PAUL McCAFFREY

HOUSEKEEPING

DEBBIE DUFF AMANDA RICHARDS SAMANTHA WALKER

CLAIRE MURRAY RACHEL LEITCH KATIE ARMSTRONG EMMA BRENNAN LUCY BROWNLIE ÉIMEAR O'NEILL

CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF PAMELA ARMSTRONG AOIFE O’NEILL NIKI BROWNE SAMANTHA OBMAN JENNIE BURNS BERNADETTE OWENS CARLA BRYSON ALBA PEREZ STEPHEN CALVERT BOBBI RAI PURDY JACK CORBETT JOIA RAYCHOUDHURY JOLENE CRAIG LIAM ROWAN ALANNAH CRAWFORD IDE SIMPSON ALACOQUE DAVEY CAELAN STOW CARA DEVLIN MORGAN SHUTTLEWORT RYAN DONNELLY JENNIFER WALSH NINA GEARY ORLA GRAHAM MARINA HAMPTON CATHAL HENRY TERESA HILL LAUREN HUTCHINSON MEGAN KEENAN GERARD KELLY MEGAN KELLY CARLEY MAGEE-TOLLERTON TIARNAN McCARRON ELLEN McCORMICK ANDREW McCRACKEN PATRICIA McGREEVY SUKE McKEGNEY SHAUNAGH McKIRGAN RONAN McMANUS TIERNA McNALLY KATHY MOORE DONÁL MORGAN SOLOMON MORROW

SCENIC CONSTRUCTION MANAGER COSTUME SUPERVISOR DEPUTY COSTUME SUPERVISOR

ADRIAN MULLAN SIOBHÁN BARBOUR AIMEE YATES LOUISE GRAHAM STEPHEN DIX IAN VENNARD ADRIAN WALL CORENTIN WEST GERARD MCCORRY COURTENAY DRAKOS GILLIAN LENNOX ERIN CHARTERIS

HEAD OF FINANCE & HR FINANCE OFFICER FINANCE ASSISTANT FINANCE & HR ASSISTANT FINANCE & ADMIN ASSISTANT

MICHEÁL MEEGAN TONI HARRIS PATTON SINÉAD GLYMOND BARRY LEONARD SHIREEN AZARMI

HEAD OF CREATIVE LEARNING CREATIVE LEARNING MANAGER CREATIVE LEARNING ADMINISTRATOR

PHILIP CRAWFORD ERIN HOEY CARAGH O'DONNELL DELANEY

HEAD OF CUSTOMER SERVICE CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER ASSISTANT CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER DUTY SUPERVISORS

JULIE MCKEGNEY ELLA GRIFFIN SÉAN GALLAGHER

SENIOR TECHNICIAN TECHNICIANS

PATRON LIAM NEESON OBE

LUCY ARMSTRONG MARINA HAMPTON RONAN MCMANUS KATHY MOORE SIONNÁN NÍ NUALLÁIN

VOLUNTEERS JEAN DUMAS YVONNE DUMAS JOAN GORMLEY EILEEN SAUNDERS EVELINE WILKINSON

A Lyric Theatre Production In association with Imagine Festival of Ideas & Politics