Belfast actor and writer Caroline Curran has been announced as part of the cast for Bright Umbrella Theatre Company’s upcoming production of Ulster American by David Ireland.
The production will run from Tuesday, August 26 to Saturday, September 6, 2025 at The Sanctuary Theatre on Castlereagh Street in East Belfast, with evening performances at 7pm and a 2pm matinee on Saturday, September 6.
Caroline will play the role of Ruth Davenport, a Northern Irish playwright whose new script becomes the battleground for clashing egos and conflicting ideals. The play, which unfolds over a single evening, centres on a meeting between Ruth, an Oscar-winning American actor and an ambitious English director as they prepare for a new production. What begins as creative collaboration quickly unravels into confrontation.
Caroline said: “I play a character called Ruth Davenport, a writer from Belfast. She’s overjoyed that her play is being performed with a well-established actor. She’s intelligent, funny, but with a fiery side.”
She added: “I first read Ulster American in extracts that Bright Umbrella did for Bringing It All Back Home to celebrate writers from East Belfast. I was lucky enough to be reading the Ulster American extract with the part I am now cast in, so I am over the moon to be back.
“I have performed here before and I absolutely adore this space and the staff. I’m looking forward to audiences who have never been to the Sanctuary Theatre coming and seeing this very special place and enjoying a really funny, dark piece of theatre.”
Caroline is one of Northern Ireland’s most prolific comedy actors and writers. She’s widely known for playing Maggie Muff in 50 Shades of Red, White and Blue and was recently seen in Rough Girls on BBC, which was first performed at the Lyric Theatre after Covid.
Her past credits include The Holy Holy Bus, Maggie’s Feg Run, The Real Housewives of Norn Iron and co-writing and performing in festive productions such as My Big Fat Belfast Christmas and Last Orders at the Rough Diamond.
She said: “I do play a lot of comedic roles and with this character I think people are going to get a real shock, in a good way, at how dark I can be. Ulster American is definitely a completely different role for me.”
She added: “I think the story is very relevant to today. It can be very graphic, as with all David Ireland’s plays. He is a master at his craft and he has a way of taking every audience on an emotional rollercoaster whilst also having the ability to shock and make you laugh.
“I have always admired his work and I’m genuinely so privileged to have been cast in one of his plays. It has always been a dream of mine to be in David’s plays, so hopefully I can do it justice.
“I look forward to making people laugh and shock them at the same time.”
Written by East Belfast playwright David Ireland, Ulster American is a dark satire exploring power, consent, and identity in the arts. It contains very strong language, graphic violence, and references to sexual assault.
The production is directed by Bright Umbrella founder and artistic director Trevor Gill, who previously said: “It is a pleasure to stage Ulster American by David Ireland in East Belfast, where he is from.
“We have a very strong and experienced cast well capable of delivering what is a challenging script. David Ireland’s work is a carefully crafted mixture of satire, shock and black humour. We can guarantee a memorable night at the theatre.”
The production is part-funded by Belfast City Council and continues Bright Umbrella’s mission to present socially relevant, high-quality theatre to local audiences.
Tickets for Ulster American at The Sanctuary Theatre are on sale now at brightumbrella.co.uk