Belfast Children’s Festival Launch

Young at Art’s Belfast Children’s Festival turns 25 this year. And they are celebrating with a 10-day programme of activities that range from theatre, dance, music, art and interactive events. At the recent programme launch, which took place at the Lyric Theatre, guests including media personality Denise Watson; composer and musician Neil Martin; and pupils from St Matthew’s Nursery School, were welcomed with bespoke cupcakes and party bags before finding out more about what’s on offer.

The opening speech from Jimmy Fay, executive producer at the Lyric Theatre, gave a taster of what attendees could expect from this year’s line up. Guests also heard from the Young at Art Collective - a group of young people whose feedback on the arts shaped the Belfast Children’s Festival programme. Other speakers included Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr. Christina Black; Cameron Menzies, artistic director of NI Opera; Gilly Campbell, director of arts development, Arts Council NI; and Brian Mullan, CEO of Replay Theatre Company.

Speaking at the launch, Eibhlín de Barra, Director of Young at Art, said: “2023 is not just the 25th anniversary of Young at Art’s Belfast Children’s Festival, it’s also the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. It’s just incredible to look back at the journey we’ve come on during that time, both as a country and as a city. Belfast is now a vibrant, creative, cultural destination and we’re very proud of the role that we, the creative sector, have played in promoting a positive image of Belfast around the world.”

To conclude the programme launch, guests were treated to a performance from Northern Ireland Opera’s ‘Nobody, Somebody’ which explores the pressing issues of housing stress and homelessness some young people face everyday. There was also, as a world exclusive, first look at Replay Theatre Company’s ‘Mirrorball’. Based on the real-life experiences of Matt Cavan, guests were treated to a stunning performance from Matt as his drag persona, Cherrie Ontop, kitted out in the most glorious rainbow gown. Other highlights from this year’s festival include Aakash Odedra Company and The Spark Arts for Children’s ‘Little Murmur’; Replay Theatre Company’s ’Prism’; festival favourite ‘Baby Rave’; and the ‘Big Belfast Birthday Bash’ - a free event for all the family which will take over Belfast City Hall and the Cathedral Quarter on 11 March.

The Belfast Children’s Festival runs 3-12 March. The programme launch took place on 26 January.

EDITED BY KELLIE BURCH KELLIE@ULSTERTATLER.COM

Opening of Romeo and Juliet

The most famous tale of a pair of starcrossed lovers enjoyed a modern retelling on the stage of the Lyric Theatre recently. And, with instructions to attend the press night in a black and white dress code, I was eager to see how this would compare to previous productions I have watched.

This incarnation of Romeo and Juliet, a classic piece of theatre which explores love, hate, loyalty and conflict, was directed by Philip Crawford. Rich with Northern Irish voices, it would have been easy for Crawford to have used the feuding families of the Montagues and Capulets as an analogy for the sectarian divide in Northern Ireland. Instead, the tensions that underpin this telling comes from the contemporary setting of rival fashion houses. A key consideration for Crawford was making the production as relatable as possible to a modern audience. Young lovers resorting to taking their own lives was a stark parallel to the Northern Ireland of today where suicide statistics are alarmingly high. So, in addition to paying homage to a timeless Shakespearean production, Crawford also created a space to draw awareness to a real epidemic in our country. And what makes this message all the more powerful was his dedication to raising awareness in the right way by consulting with charities and also providing school workshops and support materials for audiences to reiterate the message: to wait before taking irrevocable and drastic action.

Whilst this play - adapted by Anne Bailey - is shorter than the original, and enjoys some creative changes to character and script, it very much retains the poignancy of Shakespeare’s original. Although very familiar with the material, I found the ending to be still deeply affecting and packing an emotional punch.

The crowd, which included Roisin

McDonough, Chief Executive of the Arts Council NI; poet Paul Muldoon; Peter Wilson (aka Duke Special); Royal Shakespeare Company’s Michael Corbidge; and artist Emma Brennan were captivated by the ‘two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona’. The ensemble cast gave performances of passion and gravitas whilst Romeo (played by Adam Gillian) and Juliet (played by Emma Dougan) added their own twist to their timeless characters.

Although based on a classic story, this adaptation of Romeo and Juliet still manages to explore new and modern elements. With reinvention and creativity at its heart, Philip Crawford, who is also Head of Creative Learning, showcases exactly why the Lyric is renowned as a home to theatre excellence.

The press night of Romeo and Juliet was 8 February. The production runs at the Lyric Theatre until 5 March.