Showing posts with label Lyric Theatre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lyric Theatre. Show all posts

Friday, February 20, 2015

Lyric Theatre, 'Death of a Comedian': Deal With the Devil

A comedian makes a Faustian pact in Owen McCafferty's new play.

Lyric Theatre, Belfast
Feb 11-Mar 8

My review of Death of a Comedian coming up after the jump ...


Monday, January 5, 2015

Saturday, January 3, 2015

More Irish Theatre Highlights of 2014

School was out this summer and some of the first graduates of The Lir lent serious verve to Selina Cartmell's kinetic staging of Punk Rock


I already made a list of my top 10 Irish theatre productions of 2014 but here are more highlights that deserve mention ...

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Irish Theatre Top 10 of 2014

Enda Walsh's play Ballyturk preached the idea of pushing life, and theatre, to the very edge 


As per the year end ramble of making lists, below I give what I think are the highlights of 2014 in Irish theatre.

This year I wrote about 109 productions mounted in 6 different counties, with generous support from many producers and venue managers along the way.

Below are the 10 that struck me most:


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Lyric Theatre, 'Pentecost': Historical Days in Lilliput

Director Jimmy Fay lays the symbolism a bit thick in his staging of Stewart Parker's play but its final scene is transcendent.

Lyric Theatre, Belfast
Sept 24-Oct18


My review of Pentecost by Stewart Parker coming up after the jump ...


Saturday, August 16, 2014

Lyric Theatre, Punk Rock: Teenage Kicks

Under Selina Cartmell's moshing and incisive direction, it slowly becomes a question of who is the loose trigger in Simon Stephens' play?

Lyric Theatre, Belfast
Aug 14-Sept 6



My review of Punk Rock by Simon Stephens coming up just as soon as I sort you with a second edition of Waverly …

Monday, February 17, 2014

Lyric Theatre, 'Molly Sweeney': Seeing the Light

Abigail Graham makes a picturesque production out of Friel's lowly play.

Lyric Theatre, Belfast
Feb 8-Mar 8


My review of Molly Sweeney by Brian Friel coming up just as soon as I remember the high summer of my 32nd year ...

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Lyric Theatre, 'Brendan at the Chelsea': Beauty and the Behan


Project Arts Centre
Nov 12-16

My review of Brendan at the Chelsea by Janet Behan coming up just as soon as I phone a publisher to find out where my husband is ...


Friday, October 18, 2013

Theatre Festival Season is Over but the Best May Still to Come

Production image of Blue Raincoat's upcoming production of First Cosmonaut by Jocelyn Clarke. The best Irish theatre of 2013 may still be on the way.


As usual, the combined mass of Dublin Fringe Festival and Dublin Theatre Festival may have exhausted many theatre goers. But not as normal is the fact that a certain benchmark feels yet to be achieved by this time of the year. The festival season usually produces some of the most powerful productions of the year. For example, at this point last year we had WillFredd's wonderful FARM, Have I No Mouth by Brokentalkers, ANU's The Boys of Foley Street, and the blistering Druid/Murphy cycle. 2013 feels yet to produce something on the same power levels as these works, though LIPPY, Thirteen, and the Gate's A Streetcar Named Desire are definitely up there.

The truth may be that the best plays of 2013 have yet to deliver. And over the next three months several of the country's most exciting companies put on their latest work. So get over your festival fatigue and mark these dates in your calendar: