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A Christmas Carol
Our story begins on Xmas Eve, London, 1842...
Ebenezer Scrooge's partner Jacob Marley id as dead as door nail, and you can't get more deader than that... The money is all Scrooge's. It's his only love. But, wait! Marley's Ghost appears to tell Scrooge that he will be visited by three spirits - the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. And so begins a roller coaster ride where 5 actors play the entire population of London! Written by Patrick Barlow in the the style of his highly acclaimed '39 Steps', this is a hilarious show for adults and great fun for children! Tivkets from £5 to £12. Group rates. Family tickets. Concessions for seniors and unwaged.
Dean & the Devil by Philip Orr
• Friday 24th and Saturday 25th June, 7.30
• The Little Theatre
• £15.00. £13.50 Seniors, U16, students and unwaged
Alan is in trouble. His girlfriend has left him, he’s lost his job and his health is failing. Can hope and love triumph in the end or will Alan’s trouble get the better of him? The poignant and often darkly funny story of a man’s struggle against alcoholism. Along the way we meet his girlfriend, his boss, the barman of his local pub and a man called Sean who might just help to save his life…
A one man show performed by Trevor Gill and featuring the songs of Dean Martin. Audience reactions: “A powerful multi-role performance… an important play… bittersweet and darkly funny..”
A Farther Shore
The Sanctuary Theatre, East Belfast: Wed 14 to Sat 18 Feb 2023: 19.30 (13.00 Sat matinee)
“Do not call anything impure that God has made clean”, thus begins David Campton’s one man play about the life of Peter with Glenn McGivern as the disciple and fisherman. Peter vividly recounts his various encounters with Jesus in this reflective and emotional monologue. The production, originally presented at the 4 Corners Festival, features the singing voice of Philippa O'Hara and evocative illustrations by Fergus Wachala-Kelly. And, what if Peter were to visit Ireland in the modern day? Whose life would he seek to know more about? Join us and find out! Directed by Trevor Gill. £16.00 and £12.00 (Seniors and unwaged) Tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk/brightumbrella
One Saturday Before the War
How Glentoran FC brought the European Vienna Cup home to East Belfast!
Back by popular demand, our sell out 2022 show returns with new scenes and new material ! Join Glentoran FC Captain Paddy McCann and his mighty 1914 ‘Euroglens’ team 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…”. Full bar at club prices from 6.30 p.m. Range of merchandise. Special collectable programme. £16.00 and £14.00. Group doscount for 6 or more
SHIRLEY VALENTINE BY WILLIE RUSSELL
Mourning the loss of her youth and in a rut, Shirley feels as if her family treats her like a servant and she finds herself regularly alone and talking to the wall. When her best friend wins a competition for two to Greece, she packs her bags, leaves a note on the cupboard door in the kitchen, and heads for a fortnight of rest and relaxation. Will Greece be all she hoped for? What will happen after her holiday when she has to return to her humdrum life? Winner of the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy and the Tony Award for Best Play, Willy Russell’s ‘Shirley Valentine’ is a quirky, humorous and wise ‘everywoman’s’ story. This promises to be a memorable night at the theatre!
reading circle: 'the big donkey'
As part of our year long Stewart Love Retrospective
The recently deceased Stewart Love was one of East Belfast and NI's most prolific and best loved writers for stage and TV screen. We present his play, 'The Big Donkey' as a rehearsed reading.
A personal tragedy unfolds as unemployment hits the Belfast shipyards. Joe Maxwell is a decent family man but intellectually limited. His world falls apart as he is laid off. His reactions are disastrous as he betrays his friend Eddie by stealing his job.
'Here was a moving, dramatic, intelligent play.' (Belfast Newsletter)
'... the gropings of an averagely intelligent man among unfamiliar abstractions. Joe expects his foreman-father to sacrifice elementary justice to find him a job, rejects crime as the way to an easy life, but not only takes its proceeds from Eddie, his best friend, but steals the job that would both rehabilitate and rebuild his shattered family life. One senses that Mr Love forgives Joe more easily than Joe forgives himself.' (Times)
Thursday 15th February, 7.30. £12.00 and £10.00 seniors, students, U16 and unwaged
guy mitchell's dog's dead - pass it on
by Sam Robinson for Cock and Hen Productions
Jock has been keeping a sea bass he caught on Castlerock beach in his bath for a week in case the Belfast Telegraph come to photograph it. Sammy has found a porno mag in the hedges but he can't get the pages open. Word is big Sandra has been bitten on the fanny by a rattle snake.... And as for Guy Mitchell......well, his dog's dead and... sure ya know yourself. It's Ballybeen, it's 1974 and young Sammy is navigating childhood whilst battling a severe outbreak of hair nits . A one man 'multi role' play written by Sam Robinson, acted by Kealan McAllister and Directed by Trevor Gill (although he'll deny it if you ask him...). Thursday 22nd to Saturday 24th February @ 7.30 p.m. (Saturday matinee at 1.00 p.m.). Tickets: £16.00, £14.00 concessions and a limited number of £10 ‘Early Bird’ tickets.
Bringing it all back home
Broadway and West End writers come home to East Belfast
From U.S Premieres, Award-winning plays, and West-End Theatres, Bringing it all back home celebrates East Belfast's greatest contemporary playwrights by bringing their plays home to Bright Umbrella - playing their home community for the very first time! An evening of play extract readings including the huge hit Ulster American by Ballybeen's David Ireland; Orangefield by Caitlin Magnall-Kearns and 'Leaves' by Lucy Calsdwell. The all star cast are Caroline Curran (Maggie Muff), Dan Gordon (Give My Head Peace and Blue Lights), Sean Kearns (Lyric and RSC) and Abigail McGibbon (Blue Lights, The Pillowman) About the shows featured:
- 'Ulster American' by David Ireland: Jay is the Oscar winning actor taking part in a new play. Leigh is the ambitious Director. Ruth is the Northern Irish playwright. The stage is set for success but when the three meet a line is crossed in a heated discussion which quickly descends into bloody violence. Exploring abuse of power, confusions of cultural identity and consent, Ulster American is confrontational, brutally funny and not for the faint hearted.
- 'Leaves' by Lucy Caldwell: Lori is coming home from her first term at university. Its only been a few weeks and already things have gone badly wrong. But none of the rest of the family knows, or understands, what really happened. In this fiercely observed family drama, three teenage girls struggle to define who they are, and why, and where they might be going.
- 'Orangefield' by Caitlin Magnall Kearns: Chip shop owner Nicole spends her days frying fish and dreaming of meeting her one true love.
Directed by Patsy Montgomery-Hughes. Tuesday 13th - Saturday 17th August. Doors 6.30. Show 7.30pm. Sat. Matinee Doors 1.00 p.m., Show 2.00pm.
CONTENT ADVISORY: Deals with themes around suicide and sexual violence
Tuesday 13th - Saturday 17th August. Doors 6.30. Show 7.30pm.
Sat. Matinee Doors 1.00 p.m., Show 2.00pm.
£12.00 and £10.00
thE yellow bench
A tale from the Metropolis of Lurgan by Trevor Gill
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. Even that's not it all really.... it's stranger than that... 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 (with Sam Thompson) of the sold out shows, One Saturday Before the War and Stuck in the Middle with You. ADULT ADVISORY: Strong language and themes which may offend.
Thursday 3rd to Sunday 6th October, 7.30
£16.00 and £14.00
Presented by Cock and Hen Productions in association with Bright Umbrella
the macbeth project
Shakespeare's classic plus illustrated talk and audience Q&A. In partnership with FinTrU
Are you or yours studying Macbeth at school? Do you enoy Shakespeare? Or perhaps you didn't enjoy it at school or are curious about what it's all about. This is the show for you!
Set in the atmospheric Sanctuary Theatre, the production entails a 70-minute telling of Shakespeare's classic tale of murder and witchcraft. Suitable for all ages, it is particularly suitable for students studying the play at post primary and college levels and to those studying Performing Arts. The play is followed by a lively illustrated presentation by Director Trevor Gill (BBC, RSC) on the background to Macbeth and why witchcraft and the murder of kings were very much 'in the news' when Shakespare wrote it! The actor's will then retake the stage to be 'hot-seated' by audience questions.
Friday 27th and Saturday 28th September 2024. 7.30 plus Saturday matinee 1.00 p.m.
THE MACBETH PROJECT IS AVAILABLE TO VISIT SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES - CALL TREVOR GILL 07885 748727
Audience reaction: "My son had a great time watching this play... He came stright home from school telling me he loved it, which isn't a statement I hear a lot from him as a 15 year old!'"... "Mesmerising, I couldn't take my eyes off the stage".... "The play was excellent. We also like the historical context and the Q&A with the talented cast. They have inspired our girls and brought the text to life which isn't always possible in a classroom,. (Martin Ferguson, Ashfield Girls' School)"
SPONSORED BY FinTrU:
technology-enabled solutions for leading Global Financial Institutions
Me Oul Segocia ('my dear best friend') by stewart love
The first ever stage play about the NI Troubles
Me Oul Segocia (‘My dear, best friend’) by Stewart Love
The strong friendship between Protestant Danny and Catholic Pat forged in childhood and the close bonds between their families come under strain as religious divisions tear 1960’s East Belfast apart. Danny’s marriage plans and Pat’s relationship with his pregnant girlfriend are shattered by violence.
What the papers said: '... an assertion of precious human values under direct and terrible siege, that there is not doubt at all that the play itself charts an historic degradation. ' (Irish News)
‘…very funny, very sad, and totally riveting…. It is not too often that a play can bring a tear to my eye, but Stewart Love's "Me Oul Segocia" did just that…. How many (plays of the 1960’s) will be revived.... one that will not be forgotten is Stewart Love's "Me Oul Segocia".' (Belfast Telegraph)
Tues 12th – Sat 16th November, 19.30. Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 14.00. £16.00 and £14.00
Boyd's shop by St John Ervine
Bright Umbrella Rehearsed Reading Circle, is proud to present 'Boyd’s Shop', by St John Greer Ervine. 'Boyd’s Shop' is a romance about the conflict that occurs when a new grocer comes to a small Irish town and falls in love with the daughter of his main rival. The play was said to have defined Northern Irish drama for decades. Ervine was born in East Belfast, in the shadow of the shipyards. He was an Irish biographer, novelist, critic, dramatist, and theatre manager and the most prominent Ulster writer of the early twentieth century whose work influenced the plays of W. B. Yeats and Sean O'Casey. Only £10. Full bar at club prices. Easy parking. Good public transport (Glider and Lanyon Place NIR). Fri 7 and Sat 8 March. 19.00 - 21.30.
A Community / amateur theatre event
Spacebucket Rides Again: the teenage years
Tuesday 29th July 2025 - Saturday 2nd August 2025
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.
Parental Advisory: Adult language, sexual references.
'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.
