GAME OF THRONES^TM: THE TOURING EXHIBITION Extends its Belfast Stop Until 8^th September

Tickets available at www.gameofthronesexhibition.co.uk

Belfast, 8^th August 2019 — GAME OF THRONES^TM: The Touring Exhibition has been extended in Belfast until 8^th September and forits final month in the UK and Ireland it has unveiled its ultimate must-see list for fans.  

For those missing GAME OF THRONES who want to re-experience the world of Westeros and the trials and tribulations for the Iron Throne, GAME OF THRONES: The Touring Exhibition is extending its residency and has unveiled its must-see list, all currently housed at the TEC Belfast.

Judith Owens, Chief Executive of TBL International, commented, “For almost a decade, GAME OF THRONES has taken us on a wild journey full of White Walkers, dragons, and some of the most brilliant battle scenes that have ever been seen on the small screen.  Fans now have only one month to see some of these props, costumes and settings used in the making of the show while the exhibition is still in the UK and Ireland. Designed especially by GES Events in collaboration with HBO® Licensing and Retail, we’ve pulled together a must-see list for fans, including items seen in the final season.”  

The must-see list includes:

• The skull of Balerion the Dread, as well as the other ancient dragon skulls from the catacombs in Kings Landing – exclusive to the Belfast stop.
• The sacred crypt of Winterfell as seen in the recent season.
• The Valyrian steel dagger used to kill the Night King.
• Vital props such as Melisandre’s signature necklace and Jamie Lannister’s golden hand.
• The costumes of the Mother of Dragons, Jon Snow, Cersei and Jamie Lannister, Arya and Sansa Stark and the Hound.
• The home of the Night’s Watch, Castle Black, and the frozen lands beyond the wall
• The iconic Iron Throne

Fans will be able to snap a photo on the Iron Throne, pose with the sword of their favourite character, appear on the Hall of Faces, climb The Wall, and even fly on a CGI dragon!

Running until 8^th September 2019, bend the knee and book tickets before it’s too late at www.gameofthronesexhibition.co.uk.

Arts Over Borders Summer Festival 2019 welcomes international cast.

A Wilde Weekend by Lough Ernest, part of the Arts Over Borders series of international bio festivals, is set to take place from 2^nd to 5^th August in locations across Enniskillen, including Oscar Wilde’s former school Portora Royal School (1864-71) to commemorate the 150th anniversary years.

Created by curators Sean Doran and Liam Browne, the Festival will showcase a host of events based on the much loved and treasured works and life of Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde, including talks, music, film, song, readings and more.

Opening A Wilde Weekend is renowned historian and biographer Matthew Sturgis with WILDETALK, who will be discussing his recently published biography of Oscar Wilde with Carlo Gebler. WILDETALK will also see Franny Moyle and author, biographer and documentary film maker, Cate Haste discussing their biographies respectively of Constance Wilde (Oscar’s wife) and Alma Mahler (Gustav Mahler’s wife). The talk will be followed by WILDEMUSIC: Kindertotenlieder by Gustav Mahler, sung by Ruby Philogene MBE (mezzo soprano) and Maya Irgalina (piano).

The highlight of this year’s three-day-festival, following its successful debut at the original Wilde Weekend in May 2015 and an award-winning revival in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York in 2016, will be At Home with Oscar Wilde, showcasing excerpts of Wilde’s plays performed at the school he once attended, Enniskillen Royal Grammar (Portora). Conceived and directed by David Grant, this witty and poignant telling of Oscar, Constance, Speranza (and Bosie) “at home” again, this time in the characterful and historic surroundings of Portora School will make you question whether it is life or art.

Inspired by magical children’s production, Shh! We Have A Plan, the MAC are hosting a bespoke sensory Shh Festival from 14 – 18 August, encouraging families to embrace the sights, smells and sounds of summer.

Shh! We have a Plan is an enchanting non-verbal theatre production for young audiences based on the hugely popular book by Chris Haughton, published by Walker Books, and presented by the multi-award-winning children’s theatre company, Cahoots NI.

Created and directed by Paul Bosco Mc Eneaney with music by Garth McConaghie, the show follows the journey of three madcap characters on their quest to capture a beautiful bird in a forest. It has gained international success following a US tour and now returns to the MAC this Autumn for more music, magic and puppetry before jetting off to China.

In honour of the show’s return to Belfast, the MAC are hosting a summer Shh Fest packed full of fun activities and workshops from 14 – 18 August. Families are invited to take some much needed ‘Shh’ time and discover sights, smells and sounds of summer in this festival for the senses. Children can enjoy creative workshops, singing classes, a special clue hunt around the MAC and also an amazing sensory garden that children as young as 3yrs can enjoy.

Director of Shh! We have A Plan, Paul Bosco Mc Eneaney said, “We are thrilled to bring this adventure back to Belfast for our young audiences to enjoy. We have created a unique theatre experience that tells the story of an elusive and magical bird. The story looks at how kindness may achieve more than greed and selfishness; and, as the play goes on, the characters learn to love and look after nature.

Shh! We have a Plan is packed with magic, music and puppetry and can be enjoyed by all the family. This special show has just returned from the USA and will close the year in China, so we are very excited to be bringing it back home to Belfast this summer.”

Book tickets for Shh! We Have A Plan or Shh Fest workshops at the MAC at themaclive.com or call Box Office on 028 90235053.  

SHH! We have a plan Copyright © 2014 Chris Haughton. Licensed by Walker Books Ltd., London.

University of Atypical are delighted to present the first solo exhibition by 2019 IDA Award winner, Fiona Stewart.

Drawing on Freudian ideas of the uncanny, Stewart’s work occupies territory that is both familiar and ‘other’. Specifically focusing on the subconscious, her work draws on genetic memory and inherited trauma – bringing the cognitive into the physical – and vice versa. Not necessarily negative, the artist plays with the poignancy of energy transfers; from one being or material or interpretation into another.

Alongside this interest in transference, Stewart has also worked as a Graphic Designer for many years, resulting in a process-oriented, layered approach to what she refers to as paintings. Vibrant colour compositions, glass layers and rugged textures invite the viewer to begin a subtle sense of discovery across each surface, discerning the differences in hue, contrasts and finishes.

Stewart says: ‘experiences and memories alter our molecular structure over time and this exhibition – my first solo presentation with University of Atypical – is a personal representation of that.’

The countdown is on for this year’s fantastic EastSide Arts Festival (1-11 August), supported by Arts Council of Northern Ireland.  

This year’s exciting programme is filled with fun and inspiring activities for everyone to enjoy. With so much to do across the 11 days it can be difficult to decide what to do. With this in mind, we have taken the opportunity to round up some of the amazing experiences and activities that are running across this  year’s programme:

Walks, Talks and Tours:
East Belfast is rapidly becoming known for the huge selection of street art appearing on the walls, often replacing some of the more traditional murals in the area.  Lesser Known Murals Tour of East Belfast  is a 90-minute tour, led by tour guide and historian Peter McCabe, which will call at a selection of these, focussing on Titanic, C.S. Lewis and many of the less well-known murals.

Join photographer Carrie Davenport for a crash course to help you Photograph Your Greenway. Following the course enjoy a tour of the beautiful Connswater Community Greenway.

The Big Top @ C.S. Lewis Square:
There’s a wide range of music and cabaret to suit all taste in the Big Top, C.S. Lewis Square; check out Kitt Philippa, Beauty Sleep, Sonja Sleator and Gemma Bradley for a taste of some of the best new music coming out of Northern Ireland, all on one night, then let XSLF take you back to the heyday of the Pound Music Club during its punk years. Join Tumble Circus as they present Rampage – a show that will blow your mind with an hour of hammer- smashing, Belfast-inspired circus!

Unique Dance Event:

Check out NI’s first-of-its-kind weekend of all things dance with Project Dance NI. Two days, 40 workshops and seminars with some of the dance industry’s top professionals, teaching all styles of dance from Ballet to Breaking, for every age and ability. On Friday 2nd August drop into C.S. Lewis Square for JAMZ NI: a fun day of street dance battles and the UDO World Championships!  

Children and Families

Cool stuff for families, also in the Big Top, includes The Irish Video Game Orchestra who create music for video games, TV and film. For kids learning instruments, why not join the professional musicians in their rehearsal before the gig and learn some of the music? Through clowning and fun, Pink & Blue explores what it’s like to be a boy or a girl and what it means to be who you really want to be.  Join Bollywood Baba for a family rave, Bollywood style with lots of colour, props and amazing music, led by a team of brilliant Bollywood dancers.  For really little ones, check out Baby Daddy, a show for babies aged 6-18 months, featuring an all-male cast.  Three actor-musicians perform to a maximum of 8 babies (and their grown-ups) in a specially designed sensory theatre space.  Spaces limited so book now!

Music
Queer Céilí at the Marty Forsythe is an exciting production from Kabosh that explores the turbulent events of the 1983 National Union of Students Lesbian and Gay Conference, held at Queens University Belfast. The play is set against the soundscape of 1983, the escalating Troubles, vocal and violent opposition to homosexuality and a thriving punk scene.

Songs of the Shipyard by Peacock Angell draws the audience into the world of working-class Northern Irish shipyard poet and dramatist Thomas Carnduff, performing original musical settings of his poems interwoven with fascinating biographical excerpts from early-20th century Belfast. This event is dedicated to the memory of our dear friend Sam McCready who was a lifelong supporter of east Belfast and friend to the festival.

Stronger in Numbers by HEX HUE marks a clean break for Belfast vocalist, composer and musician Katie Richardson. Bearing the imprint of Scando-pop and percussive electronica every bit as much as 60’s girl bands and introspective indie, it offers up harmony-driven, bold, technicolour alt-pop that locks its gaze on the horizon to see better, brighter days.

Join Belfast Blues guitar legend Ronnie Greer with his Almost Big Band. Expect distinctive guitar playing, incorporating Chicago blues with sophisticated jazz, featuring Ken Haddock and with support from award-winning performance poet Alice McCullough.

Something a little bit different

East Belfast Yoga and artists from Vault Artist Studios collaborate to bring you a very special festival yoga practice at Yoga in the Park. The practice will be supported by a musician and visual artist from east Belfast’s largest arts collective and will take place in the new covered Pavilion in Victoria Park. Completely unrehearsed, the artists will respond to the yoga and the yoga flow will respond in return. Accessible to yogis of all levels, the teachers come from Yoga Quarter, a yoga studio based in Ballyhackamore. Mats provided. 

Join local Crime Fiction Ulster Noir writers Simon Maltman & Gerard Brennan for an evening of readings, chat and music. They will discuss crime writing from east Belfast and beyond, amid the boom in Irish Crime Fiction. Expect some readings, a bit of banter and a few crime related songs!

Elly Omondi will explore The Legacy of Dr Armattoe, his pioneering contribution as a West African immigrant in Ireland in the 1940’s; his work as a locum doctor in Belfast, as a GP in Derry-Londonderry, and his lasting work on anthropology as a science.

For the full festival programme visit www.eastsidearts.net and follow the Festival on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram #ESAFest19.