A Christmas Carol | Lyric Theatre, Belfast by Lyric Theatre Belfast

A Christmas Carol: A Lyric Theatre Production Ebeneezer Scrooge played by: Dan Gordon

Photo Credit: Chris Heaney

WELCOME

Welcome, one and all, to A Christmas Carol at the Lyric Theatre!

There’s something genuinely magical about gathering together to share a story that celebrates the joy, generosity, and spirit of Christmas. This year, we are delighted to bring you Marie Jones’ heartfelt adaptation of Dickens’s classic tale, set in the bustling streets of Victorian Belfast. With its rich humour, heartfelt moments, and a bit of Belfast sparkle, this is A Christmas Carol as you’ve never seen it before!

Creating this production has been a labour of love for a fantastic team of talented actors, designers, musicians, and crew who’ve brought this bustling Belfast cityscape to life. Under Matthew McElhinney’s direction, we bring you an evening brimming with holiday spirit.

We are proud to present this production and share it with you, our wonderful audience. Whether you’re a regular at the Lyric or joining us for the first time, we hope this performance becomes a treasured part of your Christmas traditions.

So sit back, relax, and let the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future whisk you away. On behalf of everyone at the Lyric Theatre,

I wish you a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and an evening to remember.

I hope you enjoy the show.

JIMMY FAY EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

BRINGING A CHRISTMAS CAROL TO LIFE ON STAGE

The most famous first opening lines in literature;

‘It was a bight cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen’: - George Orwell

‘Call me Ishmael’: - Herman Melville

‘It was the best of times. It was the worst of times’ … I forget who wrote that one

…oh, and

‘Marley was dead to begin with’… - The Great Gonzo.

Like many of my generation will attest, this googly-eyed, blue-nosed declaration was my first childhood introduction to the world of Charles

Dickens masterpiece ‘A Christmas Carol,’ and ever since, it wouldn’t be Christmas without it. And this year, all my Christmases have come at once. For the first time, instead of watching, I get the chance to help tell the story.

How do you retell a story that has been told a million times before? Speak it with your own voice. The Entries of Victorian Belfast become our narrator and the Dickensian phraseology has been Marie-Jonesified into the Belfast vernacular. The rich prose is transported to stage dripping with Victoriana and told with 19th century theatre techniques. A rag-tag band of players create everything from the sound to the fog to the moving scenery as an oblivious Ebenezer Scrooge is held in the clutch of his own fate, subjected to the mercy of his own story. Clocks strike odd hours, we are cast out to sea and the worst of times become better times as Marley is not done with

Scrooge yet. There is still time. Time… As is sit here burning the midnight oil, writing this at the last moment, (which is customary for directors notes), I am all too aware of the constraints of time –the rehearsal process has been a stern teacher on that subject. ‘A Christmas Carol,’ is about many things. It’s as rich and dense as Christmas pudding. But for me I feel it’s ultimately about time. The time given to us and the time left to us and how we choose to spend it. Through the past, present and the ‘yet to come’ we learn the value of time. From the clang of Cathedral Bells to the tick of the Pocket Watch we are reminded that time is precious.

From Charles Dickens to Jim Henson to Marie Jones this story is timeless… Merry Christmas and God Bless us everyone.

MATTHEW MCELHINNEY DIRECTOR

Christmas Carol I have read or seen and apart from the great story that this is, I am always drawn to the depiction or description of Victorian life and the atmosphere and the characters of those times. Belfast in that era was no different. As in the Dickens original, it was drenched in poverty and swamped with unscrupulous employers and money lenders taking advantage. Yet in the background of that struggle to survive, the spirit and humour of the people would prevail to overcome the deprivation and hardships. So, transporting Dickens story of Ebenezer Scrooge to the streets and entries of Belfast seemed like

just like now, most of us love a good ghost story and of course a tale of good over evil. Just like the hiving streets and entries of Belfast, Dickens novels were hiving with masses of fascinating and colourful characters. So how to re-create those noisy ramshackle narrow streets and entries crammed with life and dogs and cats and horses, not to mention a runaway turkey? The only answer, the absolute magic of theatre.

Given all the adaptations I have read and screen versions I have seen, starring great actors from

to confess my favourite is still The Muppet Christmas Carol. So, in the words of Tiny Tim (AKA Robin the Frog) Merry Christmas and god bless us everyone.

MARIE JONES ADAPTER

“

TRANSPORTING DICKENS STORY OF EBENEZER SCROOGE TO THE STREETS AND ENTRIES OF BELFAST SEEMED LIKE THE PERFECT BACKDROP

- MARIE JONES

Set design for A Christmas Carol was inspired by Victorian Belfast, specifically the Belfast Entries.

BUILDING THE STREETS OF VICTORIAN BELFAST FOR THE STAGE

This has been a particularly interesting project for me to work on, as the set design process involved aspects of my recent work researching and recreating Belfast’s lost theatrical heritage.

The look of the set was inspired by an area in central Belfast called The Entries – this is located around and between Ann Street and High Street, and has a long and interesting history. These narrow passages and courtyards saw Belfast

Notable establishments like The Morning Star [formerly The Scotch Oyster House] have been around for nearly 200 years, but many others have appeared in recent times as the Entries have been rejuvenated and their story continues on. It’s fascinating to visit them today and see how little they have changed from 150-year-old illustrations – you could easily imagine Dickensian characters like Scrooge appearing in a window or dodging into a doorway!

I’ve tried to pay tribute to this with the jumbled shape of the set – its unexpected entrances and hidden corners allow the many characters in the play to appear and interact, and

places of entertainment nearby included The Buffalo Variety Theatre, St. Georges’ Hall, and the Theatre Royal. Perhaps the most famous was the Empire Theatre of Varieties in Victoria Square which entertained audiences ‘twice nightly’ until its closure in 1961.

Marie’s adaptation of Dickens’ story pays homage to the style and atmosphere of Victorian theatre, so the set also incorporates the shape of an old-fashioned proscenium arch revealing both an onstage and backstage view for the characters of the play to inhabit.

STUART MARSHALL SET DESIGNER

CREATING CHRISTMAS MAGIC WITH EXQUISITE COSTUMES

A Christmas Carol is by far my favourite Christmas story. Dickens’ early perception of how a neglected and unloved child might become hardened to the world and reject love, comfort, and family for the certainty and safety of wealth is as relevant as ever in our era of billionaire tyrants, clutching onto wealth and power but still empty inside, nursing a hollowness that no amount of money can fill.

Scrooge is a tragedy averted due to the posthumous efforts of his old partner Jacob Marley, who suffering in chains seeks to prevent his friend from a similar fate. We wanted Marley to be viscerally of the grave: one of the most enduring and terrifying images from the book is the vision of Marley bound by chains built from the links of cruelty he forged in life. The central message borne out in every word of the book is to do good to others in life while you can and seek the happiness of others in order to find the happiness in yourself.

The challenge when bringing A Christmas Carol to the stage is

that Dickens wrote some hundred or so characters in his short book, and in Marie Jones’ beautiful Belfast-set version these hundred characters and many more inhabitants of the bustling city are represented with just 8 actors and 2 musicians. The fast-moving ensemble work required the costumes to be versatile and easy to wear, items that could be quickchanged by the actor onstage and in full view of the audience.

The conceit of the show is therefore that a troupe of actors in a Victorian Playhouse are telling us a ghost story with the costumes and props immediately to hand. I created an “actors” costume as a base onto which the characters will be added.

When we journey into the Christmas Past, as is so often the case with memory, the colours are brighter, the edges are sharper, and we feel closer to the past than the present. In costuming the Fezziwig Christmas party, I was inspired by the Quality Street wrappers of my own youth, the jewel-bright colours standing in stark contrast to Scrooge in his once beautiful but now threadbare dressing gown, poignantly confronting his past and the opportunities for happiness he let slip away.

ONE OF THE GREAT JOYS OF WORKING ON THIS PRODUCTION WAS THE COLLABORATION OF ALL THE TECHNICAL DEPARTMENTS AND DESIGNERS TO CREATE THESE UNIQUE CONCEPTIONS “

In later scenes, as a debonair ghost of Christmas Present takes us at breakneck speed through the myriad harsh truths of what Christmas can mean for those in poverty as well as those in comfort, and how Scrooge has the power to do good in their world, the costumes have to evoke those conditions in a fleeting moment: a scarf, an apron, a hat, just enough to give us a tiny window into these many varied lives.

One of the delights of this show is trying to create those moments of magic. I’ve always loved an unexpected quick-change or trick costume and there are a few occasions throughout the play when I hope we’ll leave you wondering - how did they do that??

CATHERINE KODICEK COSTUME DESIGNER

FROM THE REHEARSAL ROOM

THE COMPANY

Frederick ‘Fred’ Holywell

Bob Cratchit

Ebeneezer Scrooge

Young Ebeneezer Scrooge

Musician & Ensemble

Jacob Marley

Mrs Fezziwig

Musician & Ensemble

Fan Scrooge & Tiny Tim

Mrs Cratchit

Director of Choir Music

Choir Vocals

Adapted by Director

Composer, Sound Designer & Musical Director

Set Designer

Lighting Designer

Choreographer

Costume Designer

Richard Clements

Matthew

Dan

Jonny

Conor

Marty

Mary

Katie

James

St Peter’s Catherdral

Marie

Matthew McElhinney

Stuart

A Christmas Carol: A Lyric Theatre Production

Ebeneezer Scrooge played by: Dan Gordon

Photo Credit: Chris Heaney

Executive Producer

Senior Producer

Casting Director

Production Co-ordinator

Head of Production

Production Manager

Assistant Production Manager

Company Stage Manager

Stage Manager on book

Stage Manager

Assistant Stage Manager

Technical Manager

Senior Production Technician

Senior Theatre Technician Technicians

Chief LX LX Programmer

Set Construction

Lead Set Builder

Scenic Carpenters

Scenic Welder Scenic Artist

Workshop Assistant Trainee Scenic Carpenter

Costume Manager

Costume Assistants

Costume Makers

Dresser Hair & Make-Up

Photography / Videography

Graphic Designer

Public Relations / Press

With Thanks

CAST

Richard Clements

Frederick ‘Fred’ Holywell

Richard Clements is from Bangor & trained in Drama at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.

Lyric Theatre credits: Pride & Prejudice; Cinderella; Pinocchio; The Miser; Observe the Sons of Ulster; Paradise; The Wizard of Oz; What the Donkey Saw & What the Reindeer Saw.

Matthew Forsythe Bob Cratchit

Matthew Forsythe was born in Belfast and now resides in Bangor. He trained at Drama Studio London.

Other Theatre credits: Jimmy’s Hall, Let the Right One In (Abbey Theatre); The Weir (Sherman Theatre); Northern Star, Pentecost, Spokesong (Rough Magic); Rhino (UK Theatre Award Best New Revival), Lally the Scut, Summertime, Caught Red Handed (Tinderbox); Spoiling (Traverse Theatre - Fringe First Winner); Arguments for Terrorism (Òran Mór); Transparency (Ransom); Group (Belfast Ensemble); Over the Bridge (Green Shoot); The Old Curiosity Shop (Gate Theatre).

Film & TV credits include: Three Families, Traces, World on Fire, Dave Allen at Peace, EastEnders, The Fall, Wodehouse in Exile, Silverpoint (BBC); Fearless, The Frankenstein Chronicles (ITV); Almost Never (CBBC); Ted’s Top Ten (CITV); A Christmas Star; Good Vibrations; Keith Lemon The Movie; Titanic Town; Free Spirits; Stanley (Fine Point); Viva (NI Screen).

A songwriter and composer, Richard recently collaborated on The Storymakers Project with local storytellers and poets, supported by NI Screen and Belfast City Council. His one-man show How to Bury a Dead Mule was nominated for Best New Play at the UK Theatre Awards and received critical acclaim at both the Lyric Theatre and the Pleasance during Edinburgh Fringe 2023, where it was also nominated for a Fringe Foundation Mental Health Award. Earlier this year, a first public reading of his new show about blues singer Ottilie Patterson was staged at The MAC.

Theatre Credits Include: Three Sisters (Lyric Theatre); Yerma (Tinderbox); Pride Of The Shore (Greenshoot Productions / The Mac); Mydidae (Prime Cut / The Mac); Keep Telling Me Lies (David Hull Promotions / The Mac); Cabaret (Bruiser / The Mac); Lockdown DLA (Soda Bread Theatre Co.); Vote DLA (Soda Bread Theatre Co.); A Night In November (Soda Bread Theatre Co.); Dog DLA Afternoon (David Hull Promotions); Damage (Patrick J. O’Reilly); Our Boys (Duchess Theatre, London).

Television Credits Include: Blue Lights S1/ S2 (BBC / Two Cities); Hope Street (BBC / Long Story TV); Line Of Duty (BBC / World Productions); Doing Money (BBC); The Pardoners Tale (Oak Tree Productions); Come Home (BBC); The Woman In White (BBC); The Fall (BBC); My Mother and Other Strangers (BBC).

Film Credits Include: Of My Kin (NI Screen); Grace (Rivendell Films).

Dan Gordon Ebeneezer Scrooge

Dan is an actor, director and writer. Recent television includes the second series of Blue Lights, The Paddy Raff Show, Three Families, Ruby, Shopped, Rat, To Be Frank…Carson, Rello, and Bloodlands

Theatre Credits Include: - Agreement (Belfast/NYC/Dublin). The Boat Factory (UK/Ireland/Brussels/NYC) and Frank Carson: A Rebel Without a Pause (Edinburgh Fringe/Irish tour - also subject of a BBC documentary).

He wrote and directed Belfast Blitz - It’ll Never Happen Here (SSE Arena/W5), he directed Cinderella, Snow White (Dundee), Defending the Caveman, It’s Wine O’clock (Irish tours). One woman shows Mrs Jones’s Diary, Nobody Puts Bernie in the Corner and Absolutely Flabulous (Irish tour ’24) for Sheridan Productions. For McKeever Productions, Truth, Love or Promise (Irish tour ‘24).

Dan has presented/co-authored many television and radio documentaries. Served as trustee of Arts and Business NI and is

Jonny Grogan Young Ebeneezer Scrooge

Jonny Grogan is from County Fermanagh and is a recent graduate of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Jonny also trained with Drama Studio here at the Lyric.

Theatre Credits Include: Dark of the Moon (Lyric Theatre / Creative Learning); Julius Caesar (Mountview); The Machine Stops (Big Telly Theatre Co.); Lucid (Tinderbox Theatre Co.); The House (Big Telly Theatre Co.); Alice (C21 Theatre Co.); Grim Tales (Cahoots NI)

Conor Hinds Musician & Ensemble

Conor is from Belfast and trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) and RADA.

Conor studied speech and drama with Gwyneth Murdock, Cello with Scott Heron, and was a member of the City of Belfast Youth Orchestra.

He is delighted to be performing on the Lyric main stage for the first time.

Marty Maguire

Jacob Marley

Screen Credits Include: The Head (HBO Max); Hope Street (BBC); The Windermere Children (BBC); The Secret Life of Boys (CBBC); Double Vodka and Blackcurrant (NI Screen); Cover Track (Cinemagic); The Carer (Cinemagic); The Sound of Love (Mountview)

Jonny is delighted to be making his Main Stage debut here at The Lyric Theatre.

Lyric credits: Blackout (Lyric Creative Learning).

Other theatre credits include Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, An Inspector Calls (Kevali Productions); Common (National Theatre/Headlong); Titus Andronicus (Dundee Rep); The Great Gatsby, Gangsta Granny (Heartbreak Productions); Little Miss Muffet, Little Red Riding Hood (Centre Stage); Lessons in Love and Violence (Royal Opera); That Scottish Play! (Commedia of Errors); Sleeping Beauty (Georgian Theatre Royal).

Television credits include Dalgliesh (New Atomic Espionage: The Race for (NHK/Malachite Films).

Film credits include The Glenarma Tapes (Village Films); The Innocent (White Jacket Productions); Crooked Frames (The Thief of

In A Career spanning 40 years, Marty’s most recent Theatre credits include: The Chronicles Of Long Kesh (Belfast Opera House); Give My Head Peace Stage Show (Opera House & N.I. Tour); Good Vibrations (Opera House & Irish Arts Centre New York); History Of The Troubles (According to My Da!!) (Opera House N.I Tour); Angela’s Ashes The Stage Musical (Opera House, Irish/ UK Tour); The Shop At The Top Of The Town (Theatre at The Mill); Kiss Me Kate (Lyric Theatre); The Weir (Lyric); Dockers (Lyric); Philadelphia Here I come (Lyric); Weddins’ Wee’uns And Wakes (Lyric); Mixed Marriage (Lyric); Bouncers (The Mac Theatre); Crazy (Opera House & The Mac) and The Sweety Bottle (Opera House).

Marty received the Los Angeles Drama Critics Best Actor for Marie Jones one man show A Night In November, taking the show to New York, London, Edinburgh Dublin and Boston. He played The Bull McCabe in The New York Irish Reps production of The Field and Knacker Woods in the World Premiere of Marie Jones Rockdoves in New Yorks Irish Arts Centre

Film work includes: Interrogating Officer Nesbitt in Kneecap; The Netflix movies Faith Of Our Fathers, The Boys From County Hell and Winged Creatures (Aka Fragments). He has numerous T.V roles to date including Hope Street, Give My Head Peace, Three Families, The Fall, Paula, Vikings, and BBC N.I Sitcom Number 2’s.

He is an established Voice Over Artist in T.V and Radio Commercials and Video Games such as The World Of Warcraft (Playing The Rifleman and various other roles) and has an extensive list of credits in Radio Drama for The BBC, RTE, and The California Artists Radio Theatre.

Mary Moulds

Mrs Fezziwig

Mary is delighted to be returning to the Lyric theatre after performing in their production of Romeo and Juliet. She was also back this year with Brassneck Theatre’s production of the critically acclaimed Project Children. Mary has recently finished a tour with Kabosh Theatre in Three Pay days

Other theatre credits include: Shop at the Top of the Town (Theatre at the Mill); Distortion (MAC Theatre); The Mc Cooey’s (Grand Opera House); Group (MAC Theatre) and numerous other Christmas shows with Ulster Theatre Company and GBL Productions.

Some of Mary’s television and film credits include: Blue Lights and Line of Duty (BBC); The Last Rifleman, Marcella (Netflix); Bump Along the Way, St. Mongos, Give My Head Peace (BBC NI); 37 days and Year of Greater Love. Mary made her screen debut playing Bernadette Devlin in Paul Greengrass’s Bloody Sunday

Katie Shortt

Musician & Ensemble

Katie is from Belfast where she trained at the Lyric Drama Studio before going on to train Leeds Conservatoire in their BA Acting program, graduating in July 2023.

Theatre credits include: The Four Worst Things I’ve Ever Done (Accidental Theatre, Underbelly Edinburgh Fringe & MAC Theatre) - Off Westend Nomination 2023; The Night Before Christmas (MAC Theatre); Algorithm (R&D Seón Simpson); Big Kids (Stephen Joseph Theatre); Silla (Northern Opera Group).

TV Credits include: Brandi in Hope Street (Long Story TV) and Young Stevie in Casualty (BBC).

Katie is also a singer and an actor-musician, playing the flute, accordion, piano and tin whistle. Katie is represented by Infinity Artists.

Ellen Whitehead Fan Scrooge & Tiny Tim

Ellen is from Belfast and trained at the Guildford School of Acting.

Theatre credits include: Tír na nÓg (Aon Scéal Theatre); Romeo and Juliet (dlr Mill Theatre, Dundrum); Dr Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas (UK Tour); Do You Believe in Ghosts? (UK Tour); Sleeping Beauty and Little Red Riding Hood (dlr Mill Theatre, Dundrum); Cinderella (Jordan Productions); Timeriders: Playcraft Live (The Playhouse); With A Little Bit of Lerner (Royal Festival Hall).

Workshop credits include: By My Side (Reach Find Productions); Érainn (R&D), Prom Fever (Mirrorball Films & Film4).

Recordings include: Tír na nÓg (Live Original Cast Recording).

Ellen is represented by Russell Smith Associates Ltd and is thrilled to be spending this festive season in her hometown with the cast of A Christmas Carol

Jayne Wisner

Mrs Cratchit

Theatre Credits include: Sex in The City Hall (Grand Opera House); (Grand Opera House/Irish Arts Centre NYC); Cinderella (The MAC Belfast); Northern Ireland (GBL Productions); Kate (Lyric Theatre Belfast); Opera (Northern Ireland Opera); (The Orchard Theatre); Cinderella Opera House); The Bloody Irish! Theatre/Broadcast on PBS); (Grand Opera House); Lizzie Siddal Theatre); Cinderella (Grand Opera House); Notes To Future Self (Birmingham Repertory Theatre); The Secret Garden Playhouse); Parade (Donmar Warehouse)

Television Credits Include: (Amblin/Dreamworks for NBC Universal); Francis of Assisi: A Life Of Adventure (Dreamlight International Productions); Hayden’s Dream (Paul McKenzie/Foz Allan); Doctors (BBC); London Irish (Channel 4); Life And Adventures Of Nick Nickleby 6 Degrees (BBC NI); Misfits 4); Injustice (Travers Productions Ltd); Runaway (Company Television Productions Ltd); Casualty (BBC); Vexed Lts); The Inbetweeners (Bwark Productions); Minder (Talkback Thames/Five).

Film Credits Include: Her Penpal Films); Unsinkable (PMI Films); (Flare Film); Son of Perdition Harrison Films); Life Just Is Jane Eyre (Focus Features); (Louisiana Film Productions); 3 (BM3 Productions); Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street Warner).

CREATIVES

ADAPTED BY MARIE

JONES

Marie’s plays have toured extensively throughout the world, including the former Soviet Union, Germany, coast to coast America, Canada, Britain and Ireland. Her plays include an adaptation of Gogol’s The Government Inspector, which toured in Britain and Ireland, A Night in November (London, Glasgow, New York and three tours of Ireland), Marie also starred in and wrote Women on the Verge of HRT (Belfast, Dublin, Glasgow and London’s West End Vaudeville Theatre).

Dancing Shoes, the story of George Best, co-written with Martin Lynch and the Miami Show Band Story also co-written with Martin Lynch both premiered at the Grand Opera House and went on to tour the UK and Ireland. Stones in His Pockets, which toured Ireland prior to the Dublin Theatre Festival culminating in a fouryear run-in London’s West End, gaining many wards including the Lawrence Oliver Award for Best New Comedy and the Evening Standard award for best new Play. Her Broadway debut of Stones in His Pockets gained 3 Tony nominations and won the American Drama Critics award. Marie’s plays have been translated into 38 languages. Night in November, Fly Me to The Moon and Stones in His Pockets are currently playing in most countries in Scandinavia, also in Poland Hungary and Croatia. Stones in his pockets has just had its Indian Premier. Night in November will have its 25th Anniversary production in April/May at the Irish Arts Centre in New York. Dear Arabella her latest play was directed by Lindsay Posner the Oliver Award Director and premiered at the Lyric Theatre.

She has been awarded two honary doctorates of literature from Queens University and the University of Ulster. She has also been awarded an OBE.. (Order of the British Empire)

DIRECTOR MATTHEW MCELHINNEY

Matthew McElhinney is an awardwinning director and acclaimed stage actor from Northern Ireland.

Stage Acting credits include: Scenes from the Big Picture (Prime Cut); The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Dockers, Weddin’s Weein’s and Wakes, Mistletoe and Crime and Christmas Eve can Kill You (Lyric Theatre); Dancing Shoes and Three’s a Shroud (GBL Productions); Over the Bridge (Greenshoot Productions); Rockdoves and Archy in

Manhattan (Rathmore Productions); Carthaginians (Millennium Forum); From the Shipyard to the Somme (Partisan Productions); Tartan (The MAC); and the Dundonald Liberation Army Trilogy (Hull Promotions/Soda Bread Theatre Company).

Screen Acting credits include: Closing the Ring (Closing the Ring Productions); Five Minutes of Heaven (Big Fish Films); The Man Who Could Fly (Doubleband Films); One Night (Aim High); Shooting for Socrates (New Black Films).

Directing credits include: Footsteps in the Forest (Lumiere Events); A Night in November (Lyric Theatre/Soda Bread/ Irish Arts Centre NYC); Betrothed and Women on the Verge of HRT (GBL Productions); How to Bury a Dead Mule (Rathmore Productions); The Man Who Swallowed a Dictionary and Pride of the Shore (Greenshoot Productions). Stones in His Pockets (The Barn Theatre).

Awards and accolades include: Heritage Ireland Award for Footsteps in the Forest. Winner of Best Production at London Pub Theatre Awards for A Night in November, it was also nominated for another LPT Award and two Offies; UK Theatre Award nomination for Best New Play for How to Bury a Dead Mule

COMPOSER, SOUND DESIGNER & MUSICAL DIRECTOR GARTH MCCONAGHIE

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 (BBC 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/BBC1).

Theatre Credits include: Mirrorball (Replay Theatre Co., Lyric Theatre, Belfast); Rebus: A Game Called Malice (Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch); The Gap Year (Lyric Theatre, Belfast); 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); 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).

SET DESIGNER STUART MARSHALL

Stuart has designed many previous Christmas shows at the Lyric, beginning with Marie Jones’ Christmas Eve Can Kill You in 1994. A new version of this returned to the Lyric in 2002, and a year later he also designed the sequel New Year’s Eve Can Kill You. More recently he designed Marie’s seasonal comedy Mistletoe and Crime, and several Christmas shows by Paul Boyd, including Peter Pan, Alice the Musical, The Snow Queen and Pinocchio

Other Christmas shows at the Lyric over the years include The Snowman, Howl!, Beauty and the Beast, Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, The BFG, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Red Riding Hood, The Star Catcher, The Nativity - What the Donkey Saw, Season’s Greetings, Driving Home for Christmas and Bah Humbug!

Seasonal shows elsewhere include Hansel and Gretel (MAC Belfast); Jack and the Beanstalk, Aladdin, Robin Hood and Cinderella (Waterfront Hall Belfast); Hansel and Grettel (Marketplace Theatre Armagh & Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire); All Through the House (Tinderbox, Crescent Arts Centre); and other versions of Christmas Eve Can Kill You at Belfast Civic Arts Theatre and Theatre at the Mill, Newtownabbey.

LIGHTING DESIGNER

MARY TUMELTY

Mary Tumelty, born and lives in Belfast, graduated from Queen’s University, Belfast in 2004 with a BA in Drama Studies. She trained at the Grand Opera House, Belfast in Lighting, Sound and Stage Management for two years. In 2006 she moved to a full- time permanent position within the Brian Friel Theatre at Queen’s University as a theatre instructor.

Recent Lighting design credits include: Abomination (Lyric Theatre - The Belfast Ensemble & Outburst Festival) which received an Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Opera 2020. Kindermusik (Belfast Children’s Festival) The Saviour (The Everyman Theatre, Cork - Landmark Productions) Body Politics (MAC, Belfast, Brian Friel Theatre - MACHA Productions) A Night in November (MAC, Belfast - Soda Bread Theatre Company) Pinocchio (Lyric Theatre) How to Bury a Dead Mule (Lyric Theatre) Blue Stockings (Lyric Drama Studio) Abomination (Abbey Theatre, Dublin) Birds of Passage in the Half Light (Gilded Balloon Edinburgh - Tinderbox) Propaganda (Lyric Theatre - Belfast Ensemble) The Snow Queen (Lyric Theatre) Silent Trade (Naughton Studio - Kabosh) Agreement (Lyric Theatre) The Hen Do (Grand Opera House Belfast - GBL) Burnt Out (Lyric Theatre) Rhino (Naughton Studio - Tinderbox) Winner of Best Play Revival award at the UK Theatre Awards. The Headless Soldier (Lyric Theatre - The Belfast Ensemble) Hansel & Gretel (Lyric Theatre) Have Yourself A Scary Little Christmas (Lyric Theatre) Agreement 24 (Lyric Theatre) Agreement 24 (Irish Arts Centre) New York City. Women on the Verge of HRT (Grand Opera House Belfast & The Gaiety Theatre Dublin - GBL ) Riot Symphony (Ulster HallThe Belfast Ensemble) A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lyric Theatre) Anthem for Dissatisfaction (Brassneck Theatre Company) Agreement (The Gate Theatre) Yerma (Naughton StudioTinderbox) Aurora (The Mac Theatre - Primecut)

Relights: The Dead An Opera (The Gaiety Theatre, Dublin) Backwards up a rainbow, Landmark Productions (Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire).

Film Credits: Ten Plagues (The Belfast Ensemble) Democracy Dances (Orchestra and Electronics collaboration) Ulster Orchestra and The Belfast Ensemble (Waterfront Hall) The Musician (Lyric Theatre - The Belfast Ensemble) Conversations with Friends (Lyric Theatre - CWF Productions, Element Pictures, BBC Three, Hulu)

CHOREOGRAPHER FLEUR MELLOR

Fleur Mellor trained as a professional dancer at the London Studio Centre and with over 20 years in the industry, has been producing and choreographing for commercial theatre with an emphasis on live work with a strong dance/theatre element. She is passionate about movement in all aspects of creative performance as a choreographer and movement director. She also works as a freelance producer and for Peter Corry Productions.

Theatre credits: A Midsummer Nights Dream (The Lyric, Belfast); Thank You For The Musicals (NI tours); The Showman Is Coming (Netherlands & NI tours); Celtic Rhythms (Netherlands tour); Annie Get Your Gun (Theatre At The Mill); Throughly Modern Millie (Adelphi Theatre); The Music Box (Folk & Transport Museum Cultra, Theatre At The Mill, Belfast Waterfront); The Boyfriend (Her Majesty’s Theatre), Irish Wings (Netherlands tour); The Tenderland (Arcola Theatre); Crazy For You (London Palladium).

Movement Direction: Green Space, Dark Skies (Unboxed festival); The Gap Year (The Lyric Theatre, Belfast); Stones In His Pockets (The Lyric Theatre, Belfast, The Barn, Cirencester, Bolton Octagon); Archy In Manhattan (GOH, Belfast).

As a board member of both Thrive Audience Development & Theatre And Dance NI, Fleur is a fierce advocate for dance and a champion for the arts.

She is looking forward to Thank You For The Musicals touring again next year as well as working with Six Dance Collective on their new production.

COSTUME DESIGNER CATHERINE KODICEK

Catherine is the Costume Manager at the Lyric Theatre. Previous Lyric Theatre work includes (as Costume Designer) A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Previous work; Former Head of Costume at the Young Vic Theatre, London for 13 years. Young Vic work includes: (as Costume Designer) Jungle (also in West End, St Ann’s Warehouse New York & Curran San Francisco), She Ventures He Gains, Jumper Factory, Parallel Macbeth; (as Associate Costume Designer) Life of Galileo, Midsummer Night’s Dream; (as Costume Supervisor), Twelfth Night, A View From the Bridge (also in West End, Broadway & NT Live), Yerma (also on Broadway & NT Live), Once in a Lifetime, The Scottsboro Boys (also West End), The Changeling, Measure for Measure, A Season in the Congo, Blackta

Film and TV includes (as Associate Costume Designer) The Third Day live stream (Punchdrunk/Sky); (as Key Crowd Fitter) The Witcher S3 (Netflix); (as Crowd Supervisor) Heads of State (The Safran Co.); (as Co-Costume Supervisor) Dalgliesh S3 (All3 Media).

SOUND DESIGN TO SING ABOUT

A Christmas Carol is amongst any theatre composer’s most coveted projects for which to write music. Add to this a talented cast and dynamic adaptation by Marie Jones, and the ground is laid for lots of musical play.

My score weaves together threads of original folk and Romantic classical music, popular as well as lesserknown Christmas carols, with some more abstract elements of sound design; all interwoven with the spooky strains of St Peter’s boys’ choir, ‘Schola Cantorum’, as well as live textures and motifs performed by our amazing actor-musicians.

We use instruments which were available at the time that the play is set, including accordion, cello, flute, mandolin, classical nylon-string guitar, trumpet, tin whistle, and percussion aplenty. I, for one, have never written music for an actor who can dance, sing, act, and play cello, all at the same time!

I hope that our audience finds the end result festive and warm, joyful but sad, hearty, and full of cheer and, perhaps occasionally, just a little bit unsettling.

Happy, spooky Christmas, everybody!

GARTH MCCONAGHIE COMPOSER, SOUND DESIGNER & MUSICAL DIRECTOR

THE GAP YEAR

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND AFTER ITS SMASH-HIT DEBUT

This heartwarming comedy follows widowed Kate, childminder Roisin, and their best friend Oonagh as they embark on a whirlwind Gap Year across Ireland, exploring counties they’ve never heard of! With castles, coffee, and plenty of craic, it’s an adventure you won’t want to miss. Looking for a fun night out in Belfast? The Gap Year is one of the top shows at the theatre—book your tickets now for an unforgettable experience!

Dates Sat 1 Feb—Sun 2 Mar 2025

Previews: Sat 1—Sun 2 Feb 2025

Times: 14.30 | 19.30

Age: 12+

Tickets: £15 – £35

ROARED WITH LAUGHTER! A MIXTURE OF COMEDY & PATHOS WE WERE SO INSPIRED THAT WE ARE THINKING OF TAKING A GAP YEAR OURSELVES “ “

WRITTEN BY CLARE M

STAFF LIST

LYRIC STAFF LYRIC THEATRESTAFF LIST

THE VELVETEEN RABBIT

Replay’s new show is an original musical adapted from the children’s classic The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. It’s a nostalgic, fun and tender tale of a boy, his favourite toy and how being loved can make us real. A story about growing up and figuring out where you fit in.

With a brand new script by celebrated writer Jan Carson and music from Duke Special, this show brings together the very best of Northern Irish talent in a theatrical feast for all the family.

Dates Fri 14—Sun 30 Mar 2025

Previews: Fri 14—Sat 15 Mar 2025

Times 11.00 | 14.30 | 18.00 | 19.30

Age: 5+

Tickets: £15 – £25

Book: lyrictheatre.co.uk