Belfast comedian Nuala McKeever’s acclaimed one-woman show, Truth, Love or Promise is set to take centre stage at the 4 Corners Festival next year.
Promising an evening of laughter, poignancy, and powerful storytelling the show will take place on Saturday February 1 at Stranmillis College Drama Theatre.
Part of the festival’s packed 2025 lineup the hilarious show, written and performed by McKeever and directed by Dan Gordon follows three women – Brenda, Maureen, and Joanna, who bond through a Belfast creative writing class.
Their shared stories gradually reveal unspoken truths, exploring themes of loss, grief, and life’s unexpected twists with a perfect balance of humour and pathos.
Speaking of the production, comedian and writer Nuala McKeever said: “I’m excited to do Truth, Love or Promise for the 4 Corners Festival.
“I’ve performed the play North and South over the past year and a half. It’s had rave responses from the audience and critics alike.
“Originally I was commissioned to write a one woman play for Dunboyne College in Co Louth, for International Women’s Day. I had a dream about Dan Gordon one night. Next day I asked him if he’d direct. He said yes and we were off.
“The play almost wrote itself. I would be lying in bed and the characters would start talking. I’d simply say the dialogue into my phone and then type it up the next day.
“Of course, there was a lot of work to shape it and edit it down to 70 minutes, but the original idea just emerged from the ether.
“Clearly, looking at it, it’s inspired by my life over the last 11 years, since the untimely and traumatic death of my partner Mike in 2013.
“It isn’t autobiographical but it does deal with grief and loss. Basically, it’s the idea of what do we do when life doesn’t go the way we expected? Are we just victims? Do we have any power?
“I set it in a Creative Writing class. Three women meet. We think we know who they are and what they’ll be like, but, as in real life, each of them has something going on behind the façade. And some of what’s going on is quite surprising. Even shocking.
“It’s about the power of telling your story. Of being seen and heard. Of finding common ground with other, completely different people. It’s about finding connection. It’s about challenging our solid identities and discovering the joy of coming home to who we really are.”
The 4 Corners Festival, now in its 13th year, runs from January 31 to February 9 with a mission to inspire connection and reflection across Belfast’s communities.
This year’s theme is HOME?, offering another year of diverse range of events including art, music, drama, and faith-inspired activities aimed at encouraging attendees to explore new corners of the city and forge meaningful connections.
Co-founders Steve Stockman and Father Martin Magill said the festival is a celebration of diversity and belonging, with this year’s events rooted in the concept of home as both a physical and emotional space.
A well-known name in Northern Ireland, Nuala McKeever first rose to fame as part of the award-winning Hole in the Wall Gang and later made history as the first woman in Ireland to host her own television show, The McKeever Show.
Her career has spanned stand-up comedy, playwriting, international touring, and broadcasting, and her latest production delves into identity, love, and the strength of friendship.
David Campton, 4 Corners committee member, said: “Last year’s 4 Corners theme was Stories this year it is Home?
“This superb one woman show written and performed by Nuala McKeever is a perfect bridge from one to the other as we hear a range of diverse stories emerging around a creative writing group that sheds light on this city we call home.”
The wider 4 Corners Festival will encompass a wide variety of talks, discussions, practical workshops and more, spreading the word of local and global contextual issues across its ten day run.
Aimed at broadening perspectives and helping people to think about bigger issues, such as homelessness, the care of our common home, the earth, transport and accessibility within our home city, these heavy integral topics are interwoven together with lighthearted festivities like music, poetry, drama and the visual arts.
The event’s schedule of activities will also challenge attendees to step beyond the physical and psychological ‘corners’ of Belfast, discovering new parts of their city, fresh perspectives and meaningful connections.
4 Corners Festival is supported by The Executive Office’s Central Good Relations Fund, The Department of Foreign Affairs Reconciliation Fund and Belfast City Council Good Relations Fund, St Anne’s Cathedral Sitout and Linen Quarter BID.
For more information about the festival and to keep up to date with programme updates go to 4cornersfestival.com