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THE EAST LAFFS!
LAST THURSDAY MONTHLY: Next dates: Thursday 24th April; Thursday 26th June 2025
24th April features: Shinane Higgins, James Downey, Lisa Kirkwood and Ross Mitchell (Google their Insta accounts - we dare ya!)
A full bar at club prices! Enough Kit Kats to, umm... fill a big box of Kit Kats. 4 comics and our fabulous EmCee, Mark McClernon. Great craic from established and up and coming comeejins (so they are). Belfast's best, funkiest, most atmospheric, funniest comedy club so it is. And all this for six quid!! Yowsa!
Doors 7.00, show 8.00.
queen of the bees
Fri 23, Sat 24 and Sun 25. Doors at 6.30 p.m. Show at 7.30.
Ellie is a local beekeeper who is grieving the loss of a loved one. But life goes on and, as she continues to tend to the little lives of her bees, they give her the opportunity to explore her grief. Through working with the bees, Ellie meets Frank and Susan. Their passion for living and courage, despite leading difficult lives, inspires Ellie and prompts her to find her own path to healing. Queen of the Bees' is a one-woman show that explores themes of resilience, transformation and healing. The play was developed through the c21 Theatre Company's Early Career Playwrights Programme 2024, supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland through the National Lottery Fund and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.
Written and performed by Johanna Gallagher. Directed by Heather Martin
Full bar at club prices. Easy parking. Good public transport (Glider 1 and Lanyon Place NIR).
£16.00. Tickets: Bright Umbrella event tickets from TicketSource.
'mother & son' and 'elegy for georgie'
Visiting Shows
Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th May 2025. Doore 6.30. Shows 7.30.
Join us for two short plays as part of the NI Mental Health Arts Festival 2025.
'Mother & Son' by Jordan Baker: As Jack spirals into another drink-fueled depression, things are made all that much worse by the arrival of his estranged mother. Will grievances be aired, or will things be made worse?This is a story about the things we do for the ones we love, whether they are right or wrong.
'Elegy for Georgie' by Seamus Steele: A short play, dealing with the legacy of our “Troubles”, and the suffering that many people undergo many years after peace is said to have been delivered. (Winner of the Skerries One Act Festival (2024)
WARNING: Strong Language, themes of suicide and alcoholism.
Tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk/brightumbrella
The NI Mental Health Arts Festival is dedicated to challenging stigma, providing forums for dialogue with compassion and dignity, and celebrating the pivotal role of creativity, self-expression and the arts upon our mental health of well-being. The festival takes place from 9-20 May.
'roaches' by Eavann Mallon
Visiting Show
Wednesday 28th to Saturday 31st May 2025. Doors 6.00. Show 7.00.
A bloody, drunk Juniper is returned home by Emma, who's concerned with pending hangovers, and Reece, who's concerned about Emma. Meanwhile, Juniper seems like she would love nothing more than to return to the pub quiz to continue screaming Madonna lyrics as loud as she can.
Love, loss and longing for the freedom to escape the claustrophobic cliches unique to young women in Northern Ireland creates a sisterhood in these girls, but will it be enough to keep them from falling apart
Written by Eavann Mallon. Directed by Hannah Reilly
The running time is 1 hour with no interval from 7.00-8.00pm. Tickets £15 and £13; www.ticketsource.co.uk/brightumbrella
WARNING: Contains discussion of sensitive topics including identity and fertility. Blood will be visible on stage throughout the performance.
'the yellow bench' by trevor gill
Visiting Show. Cock & Hens Productions proudly present a rehearsed reading of a brand new play.
The Yellow Bench (A rehearsed reading). Friday 18th and Saturday 19th July 2025. Doors 6.30. Show 7.30.
Frances and Mary live in supported accommodation. One day they meet at The Yellow Bench (the 'Chatty Bench') in Lurgan Park and a very odd tale unfolds. About mixed up words, mucked up families and getting your order wrong in Starbucks. Umm, well, it's a bit stranger than that actually.... much stranger... What's Frances doing with that petrol can and is that a sawn off shotgun in Mary's grip bag?
A new play by the joint author and Director of the sold out shows, 'One Saturday Before the War' and 'Stuck in the Middle with You' and the Director of 'Guy Mitchell's Dog's Dead - Pass It On'. With Cathy Brennan Bradley as Mary and Mary Jordan as Frances.
TICKETS £12.00. www.ticketsource.co.uk/cock-and-hen-productions
ADULT ADVISORY: Strong language and themes which may offend.
'spacebucket rides again': THE TEENAGE YEARS
Visiting Show. Cock & Hens Productions unashamedly present:
SPACEBUCKET RIDES AGAIN: THE TEENAGE YEARS. 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 - as seen at The Sanctuary Theatre and The Lyric Theatre.
Written by the scurrilous Sam Robinson; Directed under duress by Trevor Gill ('I once directed Hamlet you know'); starring the fabulous Kealan McAllister; Stage Managed by Matthew 'It'll work OK on the night' Grimes
TICKETS £20.00. www.ticketsource.co.uk/cock-and-hen-productions
Parental Advisory: Adult language, sexual references.
Ulster american by david ireland
Tuesday 26th August to Saturday 6th September. Doors 6.30. Show 7.00 (6 Sept matinee 2.00)
“ A line has been crossed…”.
A Holywood Actor, an ambitious English director and a Northern Irish playwright meet the evening before rehearsals start on an exciting new play… but will they see eye to eye on it and how far will they go for their views to be heard? A very dark comedy from East Belfast's award winning playwright David Ireland (The Lovers - Sky Atlantic, Cyprus Avenue - Royal Court Theatre).
***** “A satire as timely as it is riotous” - The Guardian
***** “Outrageous and uproarious” - The Times
Contains very strong language, graphic violence, and references to sexual assault.
Running Time: 75 minutes without interval
one saturday before the war
Visiting Show. Cock & Hens Productions unashamedly present:
Tuesday 7th to Saturday 18th September. Doors 6.30. Show 7.00 (Saturday matinees 2.00)
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND. The fabulous 'One Saturday Befor the War' sell out show returns to the Sanctuary stage with new scenes and some very special star guests!
Join Glentoran FC Captain Paddy McCann and his mighty 1914 ‘Euroglens’ as they beat the footballing cream of Europe to bring home the ‘Vienna Cup’ to East Belfast - the first ever trophy won by a British team on European soil. The Sanctuary Theatre turns red, green and black to the roar of, “Come on ye Glens!”.
“… brings a community’s history to life. It’s accessible, ambitious and reaching local audiences with nuanced storytelling that doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable truths”. (‘Alan in Belfast’ online review).
Audience reaction: “… funny, fearless, fantastic… cheers and one or two tears”… “The cast were individually and collectively brilliant... do not miss this. It is, like East Belfast, wonderful…. “the humour, music, storytelling, and acting were just brilliant. If you haven't got a ticket yet, get one, you won't regret it!”… ”,“… phenomenal… uplifting… funny…”, “…. parts had me in tears of laughter, parts gutted me to the soul…”.
BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT! TICKETS £20.00. www.ticketsource.co.uk/cock-and-hen-productions
