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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
THE STRAY GAITERS
NEIL YOUNG TRIBUTE
It is now more than fifty years since Neil Young first appeared on the scene, astounding everyone with his remarkable song writing and soulful singing. Stray Gaiters – who take their name from the pick-up band of session players put together for the recording of “Harvest” – will guide you through Mr Young’s extensive and varied catalogue of wonderful songs with respect and passion. Dance beneath a harvest moon; be blown away by a hurricane! Friday 27th October @ 7.30. Tickets: £16.00, £14.00 concessions and a limited number of £10 ‘Early Bird’ tickets.
The Rehearsed Reading Circle; 'Me Oul Segocia'
ME OUL SEGOCIA BY STEWART LOVE
This is the first event in a year-long Bright Umbrella retrospective of the work of East Belfast playwright Stewart Love (1934 – 2021). Love was a highly popular Belfast school teacher who wrote around 20 plays for TV, radio and the stage. He was one of the first writers to address the subject of the NI Troubles. ‘Me Oul Segocia’ (meaning, ‘my dear old friend’) is set in the 1960’s and is a powerful tale of the relationship between Catholic and Protestant working class families at a time when conflict was brewing. Our event is a rehearsed play reading. Thursday 2nd November. All tickets: £10.00.
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!
Robert Herdman's Comedy Hypnosis Show!
Ireland's Best Comedy Hypnosis Show!
Ireland’s funniest and most exciting stage hypnotist, Robert Herdman, brings you a fast paced, fun packed energetic show, Robert's volunteers are never made to feel embarrassed - instead they become superstars bringing their own imagination to life on stage. Get hypnotised and have the time of your life or watch your friends become the stars of the show! Friday 2nd February 24 @ 7.30 p.m. Tickets: £16.00, £14.00 concessions and a limited number of £10 ‘Early Bird’ tickets. WATCH ROBERT'S VIDEO HERE! Sanctuary Theatre Promo Video.mp4
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.
TITANIC BY STUART LOVE
Part of Bright Umbrella's Stuart Love Retrospective
From the drab industrial city of Belfast emerged the greatest ship of her day, The Titanic. Claimed as unsinkable, she foundered on her maiden voyage. Act One is a tale of pride and achievements. In Act Two anxious eyes stare at the cruel waters. East Belfast playwright Stewart Love's large cast, epic tale deals with the onception, construction and sinking of R. M. S. Titanic and its impact on the people who built it, those who sailed in it and their families. Monday 11th to Saturday 16th March at 7.30 p.m. (also Saturday matinee at 1.00 p.m.). £17.00, £15.00 (Seniors, U16, students and unwaged) and £10.00 'early bird' first come first served tickets
Stuck in the middle with you
by Sam Robinson and Trevor Gill
Tuesday 9th to Saturday 20th April 2024
2012. English writer Paula Davey receives an award from her fellow journalists for her 'true life' book, 'Stuck in the Middle with You: An RUC Story'. September 1996, Davey's story begins with 5 RUC officers stuck in the back of a landrover during a riot at the top of Belfast's Albertbridge Road. Over the course of the play we hear their stories - ordinary people caught in extraordinary times.
'Often darkly hilarious, the play confronts the harsher realities of life in the security forces in the 1990's head on. An unexpected and chilling ending stuns the audience'
Parental Advisory: Sensitive issues, adult language and sexual references. May not be suitable for children under 13 years old. Monday 8th to Saturday 20th April 2024. Tickets £17.00, £15.00 (Seniors, U16, unwaged, students) and £10.00 (early bird)
Anthony Toner & Ken Haddock in Concert
The Sanctuary Theatre, Castlereagh Street Friday April 26
Two old friends – each a revered figure on the Northern Ireland music scene – make a rare joint appearance at the Sanctuary Theatre on April 26 for a one-off evening of original songs, covers and stories.
Anthony Toner first sprang to prominence on the airwaves with his much-requested song ‘Sailortown’ in 2008, and he has continued to develop a following since then with a string of well-received albums, a busy live performance schedule and a repertoire that contains songs like ‘Well Well Well’, ‘The Road to Fivemiletown’ and many more.
Likewise, Ken Haddock – known as much for his barnstorming live shows with his band as for his top-quality original songs like ‘Diamond Girl’, ‘The Day That Never Came’ and many more – is a man blessed with a wonderful singing voice, a superb guitar technique and a knack for absorbing classic material from artists as diverse as Tom Waits and Radiohead - and re-making it as his own.
It’s been a few years since Anthony and Ken shared a stage in their own right, so expect a wonderful reunion - with top quality singing, playing and banter.
With support from 15 year-old local singer Victoria Foster who returns to the Sanctuary this April having recently opened at the East Belfast venue for LA based rocker Ricky Warwick during his run of sell out shows. Victoria is once again accompanied on guitar by Jordi Robinson.
SOLD OUT!
stuck in the middle with you
By Sam Robinson and Trevor Gill
SORRY! THIS SHOW IS NOW SOLD OUT
BACK FOR A LIMITED RUN DUE TO HEAVY TICKET DEMAND! The year is 2012. English writer Paula Davey receives an award from her fellow journalists for her 'true life' book, 'Stuck in the Middle with You: An RUC Story'. September 1996, Davey's story begins with 5 RUC officers stuck in the back of a landrover during a riot at the top of Belfast's Albertbridge Road. Over the course of the play we hear their stories - ordinary people caught in extraordinary times. Parental Advisory: Sensitive issues, adult language and sexual references. May not be suitable for children under 13 years old
'Often darkly hilarious, the play confronts the harsher realities of life in the security forces in the 1990's head on. An unexpected and chilling ending stuns the audience'
Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th October 2024. Tickets £17.00 and £15.00 (Seniors, U16, unwaged, students)
'DEAN & THE DEVIL' AND 'A FARTHER SHORE'
2024 EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL PREVIEW! Fri 26 & Sat 27 July. 7.30
2024 EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL PREVIEW! Fri 26 & Sat 27 July. 7.30
2024 EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL PREVIEW! Fri 26 & Sat 27 July. 7.30
In August this year, we at Bright Umbrella will make our debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with two one man shows. This is your opportunity to wish us luck as we present a preview of bothshows on the same night at our Sanctuary Theatre. 'A Farther Shore' by David Campton is the story of Peter - apostle and rural fisherman. Peter muses on his recent past and on what might await him on 'a farther shore'. With suberb illustrations from award-winning illustrator and animator, Fergus Wachala-Kelly. 'Glenn McGivern commands the stage in an outstanding and moving performance'.
2024 EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL PREVIEW! Fri 26 & Sat 27 July. 7.30
2024 EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL PREVIEW! Fri 26 & Sat 27 July. 7.30
'Dean & the Devil' by Philip Orr is the story of Alan, struggling with alcohol misuse. His fight to beat his personal demons isn't being helped by his deeply annoying family, a much too enthusiastic therapist and some very rude shopkeepers. 'A deeply moving, blackly hilarious show superbly acted by Trevor Gill'. Featuring renditions of the songs of Dean Martin.
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