An open evening was held at Belfast City Hall last night (20 October) for volunteers who are hoping to set sail on the opportunity of a lifetime aboard the Tall Ships next July.

80 lucky people from Belfast and the surrounding area will be given the unique opportunity to become trainee crew members as part of the Tall Ships Races 2015, one of the biggest events to come to our city.  Those selected will play a pivotal role on board the ship on the first leg of the race as it sails on its 11 day voyage from Belfast to Ålesund, Norway.

Over 300 people have registered their interest for a place on the programme, and over 100 of those attended last night’s information session to find out more about the next stage of the process and take part in a Q&A panel with event organisers.

Speaking about the trainee programme, Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Nichola Mallon said: “What a wonderful opportunity this is for people from our city to take part in one of the biggest and most exciting events to come to Belfast.

“The chance to sail on board one of the Tall Ships really is the opportunity of a lifetime.  I’d encourage anyone who is looking for a new challenge and wants to meet new people, explore new places and learn new skills, to get involved and apply today.”

The Tall Ships Races 2015 will be the third time that Belfast has hosted the races, having also welcomed the ships in 1991 and 2009.

Dr Gerard O’Hare, Chair of Belfast Tall Ships 2015 Ltd, which has been set up to manage the event, said: “It’s fantastic to see so many people have registered their interest already for what promises to be a memorable, challenging and unrivalled experience.

“The Tall Ships Races is expected to attract 500,000 people, with another 500,000 seeing the arrival and departure of the vessels along the Northern Ireland and Irish coasts and the trainee crew programme provides another fantastic outlet for the people of Belfast and Northern Ireland to get involved.”

There are only 80 places available on the scheme, but opportunities are also available to self fund the trip for those who are not selected.

Lidl Northern Ireland, host port sponsors of the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival, which will officially welcome the ships to Belfast, will subsidise eight lucky staff members to take part.

Glen Cinnamon, Regional Director for Lidl Northern Ireland said: “As headline sponsors of this event, it’s really important for us that the communities and people of Northern Ireland are able to get involved and enjoy all aspects of the festival.  A range of free, family-fun activities will take place throughout the four days the ships are docked, but this scheme provides another level of involvement and is an opportunity people should be grasping with both hands.”

Thelma Thompson from Ocean Youth Trust Ireland said: “The huge interest we’ve received in Northern Ireland is not only testament to what a fantastic opportunity this is for our young people, but also shows the enthusiasm from our communities to be part of what will be such a massive event for Belfast.”

No previous sailing experience is necessary as full training is provided but applicants must be available for a total of two weeks which will include three separate training sessions in November, January and spring of next year.

The closing date for applications to become a trainee crew member is Friday 7 November with the selection process taking place from 24–28 November.   If you’d like to apply to be a crew member on board the Tall Ships visit www.oyti.org/belfasttallships2015

This year’s Seapark Fireworks Festival on Saturday October 25, is set to be the best yet featuring a fun fair, a food fair, live music and a spectacular fireworks display finale to finish the event in style.

This year’s screamed-themed music will be popular with all age groups ranging from Michael Jackson to Britney Spears and Will.I.Am.

The fun will kick off at 4pm with the children’s fun-fair and a fantastic food fair with everyone’s favourite foods from sausages and mash to baked potatoes, Holywood’s favourite cinnamon scones, crepes and lots more. The perfect half-term outing for the whole family and all reasonably priced!

At 6.15pm, popular local band The Jukes take to the stage to entertain the crowds with their fantastic repertoire of hits guaranteed to get everyone dancing!

The event will draw to a close after the spectacular fireworks display at 7.45pm. Prepare to be thrilled as the sky above Belfast Lough will come alive with explosions of colour and sparkle.

Commenting on the event, Alison Stobie, North Down Borough Council said, “We’re looking forward to another great night at Seapark this year – good food, good music and spectacular fireworks – perfect ingredients for a fun night for all the family. Everyone is welcome to come dressed up in your spookiest Halloween costumes but make sure you wrap up warm and bring a torch!”

So come along and join the fun on Saturday 25 October, from 4pm at the Seapark Recreational Grounds, Holywood. Admission is FREE, making this an event not to be missed!

If you fancy more Halloween fun, on the following day, Sunday 26 October, Cockle Row Cottages in Groomsport will be hosting a fun Halloween Day. This FREE event which runs from 1pm – 4pm will feature ‘Creepy Crafts,’ glitter tattoos and Casey’s Creatures will be there with a meerkat, skunk, micro hedgehog, snake and lizards.  There will also be live music by The Woodworms.

For further information, please phone our Tourist Information Centre on: 028 9127 0069 or visit www.northdowntourism.com

Passengers on the Belfast-Larne railway line had better beware this Halloween as hundreds of wizards and witches will be riding past them on Sunday 26th October!

With an 82 year old steam locomotive at the front and a train full of children (and adults) in fancy dress, it’s a moving cauldron of seasonal fun.  They will be onboard the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland’s “Broomstick Belle” steam train, this year hauled by “Merlin”.  This “Merlin” is not a magician, but a giant of steam bringing a magic all of her own.  “Merlin”, the steam locomotive, has come back into operation this year after an extensive overhaul (that took volunteers nearly 10 years to complete) and will add lots of steamy atmosphere to this ghostly fun train.

“Railways have long been associated with the paranormal, but our Broomstick Belle train is all light-hearted spooky fun” commented Mervyn Darragh, RPSI Operations Officer.

“One of our members will be bending balloons and we encourage all our passengers to wear fancy dress.  To add to the fun, we will be distributing Halloween goodie bags to all the children.”

“The Harry Potter film brought the Hogwarts Express into our homes and now all the little wizards want to be seen on a steam train, just like their hero Harry.”

Philip Lockett, RPSI Publicity Officer speculated that “This train is the (dis-) embodiment of what we are trying to achieve.  We provide the atmosphere and the parents, grandparents and children enter into the spirit with their own fancy dress.  There is plenty of time to see what apparitions might appear from the steam whilst the engine runs round its train and plenty of time to play with the goodie bags on the return journey.  A positively spiritual experience!”

“Our carriages are warm and comfortable, heated by steam from the locomotive.  One of the carriages is a Dining Car, complete with full-bar serving draught beers, hot and cold drinks and snacks.”

The trains will depart from Belfast Central station at 11:05, 13:05 and 16:05 for the 90 minute return trips.  Tickets cost £11 and are on sale (by phone or over-the-counter) from Belfast Welcome Centre (028 9024 6609) and also online from http://www.steamtrainsireland.com/.

Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Full details are available from the RPSI website at http://www.steamtrainsireland.com/

– The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland was formed in 1964 and is celebrating its Golden Anniversary in 2014. Set up to preserve and operate steam trains and associated railway heritage stock and items, the RPSI is still managed by volunteers and the majority of restoration work is carried out by volunteers in Whitehead, Dublin and Mullingar.

– The steam locomotive for the Broomstick Belle, No.85 “Merlin”, is unique, the last of 5 “V”-class, three-cylinder compound locomotives built by Beyer Peacock in Manchester for the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) in 1932. The locomotives were built to be powerful and fast, but still be small enough to be worked on inside the dimensions of the railway company workshops at Dundalk.

– The 5 locomotives were named after birds of prey: No.83 Eagle, No.84 Falcon, No.85 Merlin, No.86 Peregrine, No.87 Kestrel.

– No.85 was last steamed in about 1962 and was eventually bought by the Belfast Transport Museum. The locomotive was on display at their museum in Witham Street Belfast until 1977 when Lord Henry Dunleath provided substantial funding to have the locomotive restored.  She is still owned by the Ulster Folks and Transport Museum and is on loan to the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland.

– The locomotive’s first overhaul in preservation was largely carried out by Harland and Wolff and she operated from 1985 to 1990 before returning to the RPSI depot at Whitehead for further extensive work.

– She hauled steam trains all over Ireland from 1994 to 2004 before retiring again for overhaul. The overhauls are largely carried out by volunteers and the work on Merlin earned junior volunteer Nathan Lightowler from Moira the national award of UK Volunteer of the Year 2013.

– The RPSI is always seeking new volunteers and interested persons should first of all join the Society, details of which can be found online at Steam trains on Irish Railways with RPSI – Railway

Winner of The Voice UK 2013, Andrea Begley needs no introduction to local audiences, especially in her home village of Pomeroy.

Andrea was winner of the second series of BBC’s ‘The Voice’ performed at London’s Union Chapel in 2013, and she will headline her own concert this November 7^th at the Burnavon, Cookstown, as she brings her album ‘The Message’ to stage.

Andrea learned to play the piano when she was eight, and later on in her early twenties learned to play the guitar. Whilst studying her Master’s Degree in law, she was performing small gigs around Belfast, and building up a following of fans. Before ‘The Voice’, she had taken part in a few singing competitions but found that her sight influenced her success. The blind audition format of ‘The Voice’ was welcomed by Andrea as this meant that the judges’ decisions were made on her voice alone. As she says, the setup of the auditions stage put her “on a level playing field.” Her rendition of Evanescence’s ‘My Immortal’, won her the majority public vote, crowning her and coach Danny O’Donoghue victorious, and landing Andrea a recording contract with Universal Music.

With a combination of incredible musicianship, a phenomenal aptitude for overcoming challenges and a flawless tone to her voice, it’s no wonder that Andrea became the UK’s favourite in the competition.

Andrea is joined in concert by special guests Anthony Toner and Ben Sands. Anthony Toner has been described as ‘John Prine meets James Taylor – in a second hand book shop’. His single ‘Sailortown’ grabbed the attention of radio listeners in Northern Ireland in 2010, and his music has held public attention ever since. The song was an utterly contemporary, clear-eyed depiction of a doomed teenage romance – set against the backdrop of Belfast’s fabled Sailortown neighbourhood, now undergoing all kinds of transformations. His live performances always feature entertaining stories from the road, peerless guitar playing and thought-provoking songs that stay with you on the way home.

Ben Sands, cornerstone of the fabled The Sands Family, also appears with Andrea and Anthony. While The Sands Family continues to tour and record in their own inimitable fashion, Ben has flourished as a successful solo performer and recording artiste. To his acknowledged accomplishments as a singer, song-writer, instrumentalist, harmony vocalist and arranger, Ben brings a solid reputation as a “great singer of great songs” from a diversity of sources. These days his own compositions are most featured in his concerts as well as in the performances and recordings of a growing number of notable artistes. Ben Sands songs, music and stories paint pictures of an ongoing legacy inherited in those early, influential years on a small farm in County Down and enriched by his colourful, musical, adventure-some journeys through life.

Of course, the highlight will be the performance from Pomeroy songstress, Andrea Begley, whose new debut album ‘The Message’ entered the official chart at number 7, and whose autobiography ‘I didn’t see that coming’ is also out now.

Tickets for this memorable night of entertainment, priced at £15 (£12.50 concession) are on sale now at Burnavon Box Office on 028 8676 9949 option 1 or online www.burnavon.com.

This Sunday, 26 October, bring your little monsters along to Cockle Row Cottages, Groomsport for a ghoulish day of free family fun.

‘Casey’s creatures’, including snakes and lizards, as well as some more unusual animals such as skunks, possums and ferrets will be on show to test the courage of even the bravest of children!

For those of a more timid nature there will be spooky crafts and a balloon modeller will be making weird and wonderful creations.

Traditional music will have the feet tapping to keep you warm courtesy of local group “The Woodworms”.

Set within the picturesque Groomsport Harbour, Cockle Row Cottages are the perfect place to spend an autumnal afternoon.

Cottages Open 11am – 5pm, Free Family Fun 1pm – 4pm.

For more information contact Bangor Visitor Information Centre, T: 028 9127 0069, E: tic@northdown.gov.uk, W: northdowntourism.com.

Pentescost at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast

Bless me people but it’s been one year since I last saw Pentecost.

It wasn’t live that time – but a screening of the 1990 BBC production with Adrian Dunbar as Lenny and Michelle Fairley as Ruth. It was at the Brian Friel Theatre, and followed the inaugural Stewart Parker Lecture, delivered by his friend and Field Day compatriot, Stephen Rea. I was glad  my tissue and I were in the back row, being an emotional fish.

But that was then, this is now. My point is, the play was still fairly fresh in my mind. This play will always be relevant.

Stewart Parker was a celebrant of this city, an enigmatic visionary who left a literary legacy, a theatrical imprint of our troubled social and political history.  Aged only 47 when he died, he left behind a body of work which deserves regular resurrection, lest we forget.

So more power to the Lyric’s Executive Director Jimmy Fay for tackling Pentecost and presenting a production as close to perfect as possible. This is as good as it gets.

Flawless.

Waiting for the performance to start, there’s time to take in the stage set, to let it seep in. Outside, it’s a wet Wednesday night. The walk from the car with a leaky left boot gives me soggy sock syndrome, but the discomfort soon dissipates. Laid out before me, is a living room, circa 1930. The detail is intriguing – from the weeping wallpaper to the cheap tack ornaments, the statuettes, the picture frames (once precious possessions to some poor soul); the tassled tilted lamp shades, the mantelpiece lace, that old biscuit tin stuffed under the sideboard – the one that morphed into a sewing box somewhere in time. A scene of dusty, disheartened domesticity, oddly tarnished and preserved for posterity.

Marian comes on stage and starts casually examining the ornaments, yet with a sense of purpose. Lenny with his trombone enters stage left.

Death lingers there. Inner East Belfast, May 1974 – the Ulster Workers Strike, a small run down terraced house, a living room with kitchen rear-set.

Opening dialogue between estranged husband and wife is terse and clipped; oddly it flows.

“Did you make tea?”

“The gas is off”.

The sitting tenant has died. Lenny of middle class Catholic stock, is now the legal owner, even though Marion reminds him, that ‘property is theft’ in his book. She more than hints at hypocrisy.

The spit and spat dialogue of that opening scene – two tongues that lash and back lash – reveals  characters that unfurl, their familial knowledge of each other, their ambiguous circumstances, yet somehow the theme is loneliness. Lenny has just returned from the funeral of an old woman he never knew, a courtesy required by a split society, a task undertaken sullenly – Lenny laments “being tongue-lashed by the Free Presbyterian notion of a requiem Mass”.

The dialogue is priceless. No word is made redundant – each laden with purpose, each with a job to do; textured language that drips from their tongues unhindered, oftentimes words that are determined to come out, even when they hurt, words that cannot be left unsaid, each tinged with Parker’s worldly wisdom, an opportunity for social, political and religious commentary delivered with ease and wit – and that is precisely the spirit of this play called Pentecost.

The setting; the time; the state we’re in – everything is integral to the plot and the time its set in.

Big questions of church and state are churned up and thrown out before we even know they are upon us. Marion swigs from her whiskey bottle, dissing Lenny for being a faux –free spirit, for his bottomless vulgarity. He slurs her antique business, her bourgeois past times and pseudo interests.

Both Marion and Lenny are dropped into an incongruous setting by a twist of fate. The place is ‘riddled with rot’.

East Belfast is in deadlock.

We’re in the thick of the Ulster Workers Council strike of May 1974, we are reminded throughout of the turmoil outside and within. There is no gas, electricity supply is intermittent, food is sparse, milk is powdered.

Marion is a woman at her wit’s end. She could be on the verge of madness, or the only sane soul in the house. The little, lonely life of Lily Matthews lingers in every icon and item. Marion develops a fascination, and fancies the voice of Lily at first until she appears like the risen dead.

Lily Matthews, born 1900, marries Alfie Matthews 1918, just back from Paschendale. Alfie was a gas fitter; Alfie died a violent death at the hands of fenians. If it wasn’t for the fire service, Lily says, she wouldn’t be here now.

Marion reminds her that she isn’t.

We grasp Marion’s strength, courage and wisdom, she has that core of cheesed off, battle weary Belfast woman (brilliantly portrayed by Judith Roddy). At only 33, she is almost hard but not quite. There is hope for her yet. Her mouth is held firm, her caring character under-wraps. She’s the woman who will tell you to catch a grip, yet still be the friend you turn to in times of need.

Enter stage left on cue – here comes the friend in a time of need. Ruth needs help. She turns up unannounced, her head split and bleeding by a thump from her husband’s truncheon. Marion and Ruth’s friendship is incongruous too – different tribes, a shared interest in swimming, a friendship that spanned good times and bad.

“Remember your flat in Magdala Street?” Ruth asks.

Marion remembers it well.  (Ha – I wonder if it was No 37, my old student haunt. I remind myself, ‘tis only fiction).

Ruth is a mess, but with a sharp tongue in her head. The women spat. Ruth has nowhere to go, and now they are three – or is that four – in this Godforsaken place?

There’s room for one more surely. Lenny arrives back the worse for wear from whatever pub was left open in the city. He has Peter in tow, an old friend from uni, just back from Birmingham. A chartered surveyor – someone Marion may find useful. Peter brings with him a new dynamic.

The electricity is back on for a few hours – “Power without responsibility” Lenny quips, a dig at the strikers who have stopped the gas, deliveries of petrol, animal supplies, milk (three quarters of Ulster cows are Protestant you know).

Peter becomes a consequential house guest – back from the conurbation with his big bag of metaphorical museli and his Liliputian wit.

The only one who wants to be there is Marion, tormented by her own ghosts and feeling a peculiar connection with the bitter wee she-ghost. Lily feels put upon. She wants them gone.

Mob law rules. This is Rant City – he rants, she rants, they rant – lots of ranting in this play (and Nolan hadn’t even been invented yet).

Lenny is outraged, he got burgled. He rants about the Ulster Sunday – remember the Sabbath and keep it holy, keep it bleak – remember the historic days in Liliput – the great rising of ’74, when the little people got angry. ‘It’s not a strike, but a constitutional stoppage’ Lenny is on a roll.

Lenny, Peter, Marion, Ruth – these actors have captured their roles to a tee. Roisin Gallagher in particular reminds me of Michelle Fairley in the production for BBC.

The language, the dialogue is so laden and lithe it’s hard to keep up – the Biblical references just keep on rolling… whatever possessed you? Who’s haunting who?

Lily is haunted now by the baby white Christening gown on Marion’s knee, like a lace-white empty sepulchre laid out for all to see. The baby it belonged to is gone, given away; Lily, as it happens, has a heart breaking story to tell, that unravels before our ears – herewith the revealing connection between the older and younger women (the unexplained connection), as Marion’s boy-child Christopher died in infancy. It is a barren house says Marion, how could there be any future in a place like this?

Ruth’s dramatic rant in response to Harold Wilson’s notorious “Spongers Speech” is pure theatre, and from her mouth spills words that spilled out across this land at the time. Parker is reflecting that era right back at us, the hurt, the horror, the disgust, the anger. Ruth becomes a representation of her people, her tribe.

Lenny’s rant in return serves the same purpose, representing his ‘tribe’ – no food, no light, English museli – the ape men are in charge, the people are penned in their own homes; nurses and doctors have to get passes just to get to work; the sewage workers are ordered out – “This is not a protest movement, this is root and branch fascism”. Why are the police not intervening – shops are being looted in Ballyhackamore, Marion’s car is hijacked  – the animals have taken over the zoo, while his QC uncle is sitting very comfortably in his big house in Fortwilliam.

“God I’m hungry” says Peter “Do you want some museli?”

You couldn’t make it up – only a genius could pull this off with such mastery – Parker’s prognosis is gloomy. In fact, it hits me, with a certain despair, that some of the language, the sentiments, the themes are as applicable now as they were forty years ago, sadly – the more things change, the more they stay the same. Like a broken record, stuck in a groove, are we to stay stuck in some never-ending purgatory – in perpetuity?

This is why I believe Parker was a gifted visionary. Pentecost is pure poetry from first to final line. By resurrecting Pentecost at this time, has director Jimmy Fay nudged our recollection of the past so as to prompt us to sing a new song?

I wonder, maybe I digress too much.

The plot thickens. “The four of us” have been thrown together for weeks now under the same roof, with the presence of Lily growing heavy and burdened.

Marion is tired and emotional – she wants rid of the three parasites in the abandoned place she calls home, “I’m staying here with my tongues and you are going home with your trombone”.

Everything is symbol, the trombone is symbol, clashing cymbal; the ghostly noir-esque shadows on the walls, Peter’s bleeding bloody red hand of Ulster, like stigmata – laden with Biblical reference and iconic emblems.

The hovering helicopter heralds the return to ‘normality’. The strike is over. The madness returns.

There is a moment of light relief – the two men reminisce on carefree student days. A friend, an eternal student and chemistry researcher, had synthesized LSD – enough to fill full sweetie jars and pass it off as confectionery. They’d been ‘tripping’ for a few days when they had a brainwave – to pile in the car and head down to the Silent Valley and fill the reservoir with the contents of the sweetie jars, enough to ensure the population of Belfast was filled with peace and love, man – “no more bigotry and hatred”. It wasn’t to be, ironically, for the UVF got there first and blasted the Silent Valley to kingdom come.

Then comes the crescendo. The closing scene like a rush of wind around the walls:

Peter and Ruth quote the Bible chapter and verse.  Revelations. (While we’re on the theme, Marion reveals she found a used condom behind the sofa in the front room).

“Pentecost is upon us” Peter harangues Lenny “so where ‘s the fire in your tongue?” .

He compares Lenny’s trombone efforts as “farting into the wind”. A step too far, the friends come to blows, this dysfunctional ‘holy family’ exposed and overcome.

Ruth’s violent husband is in Purdysburn – she has to learn to forgive; Marion must reconcile with her own self after the death of her infant child, Peter and Lenny struggle with reconciliation – ultimately the only way out is redemption, and all that remains is hope.

“Therefore did my heart rejoice and my heart was glad” Ruth reads from her Gideon.

Pentecost was brilliantly executed by Jimmy Farr, with outstanding performances by this cast – in particular the character of Ruth (Roisin Gallagher). The lighting, sound effects, and stage design deserve special mention as characters in their own right – but the last word must go to detail in the costume design, so cleverly interpreted and re-visited– even made me nostalgic for my old quilted dressing gown and mustard PVC tunic. Eat your heart out 1974, the Lyric went there, oh yes it did.

Briliant, shame it’s over now – can’t wait for the next trip to the Lyric, so much coming up –

Visit www.lyrictheatre.co.uk/whatson

• Stewart Parker’s would have celebrated his 73^rd birthday on Monday 20^th October 2014.

His legacy lingers.

• The 2014 Stewart Parker Memorial Lecture was delivered by Adrian Dunbar as part of the Belfast Festival at Queen’s on Saturday 18^th October.

http://www.belfastfestival.com/WhatsOn/EventInfo/The2014StewartParkerMemorialLecture-AdrianDunbar.html

Pentecost ran from the 20^th September to 18^th October.

Director: Jimmy Fay

Cast:

Ruth  – Roisin Gallagher

Lily – Carol Moore

Marian – Judith Roddy

Lenny – Paul Irvine

Peter –  Paul Mallon

Set and costume desigher – Alyson Commings

Lighting Designer – Ciaran Bagnall

Sound designer – Fergus O’Hare

No plans for Halloween weekend? Look no further than The Market Place Theatre in Armagh. With the terrifyingly atmospheric drama, ‘The Haunters’, terribly good music from ‘The Bee Gees Story’, and gothic mystery in ‘The Hound Of The Baskervilles’, we’ve enjoy spark to lighten up your Bonfire Night.

No-one ever stayed in the dark, brooding house for very long. There was something wrong there, very wrong. A brilliant doctor takes up residence only to die violently. What is the terrible secret hidden behind the doors of the house by the river? When the dead man’s brother decides to investigate he sets in motion a chain of events which will eventually lead him into a vortex of terror. He pursues the truth through the gas-lit, fog-filled streets of Victorian London until eventually he is forced to confront the horrifying truth. There in the flickering shadows of the house of fear the secret of his brother’s death is finally revealed and he finds that perhaps death is only the beginning. ‘The Haunters’ will be staged on Thursday 30^th October at 8pm. Tickets are priced £12.50 and £10.50 (concession).

You can’t see the Bee Gees anymore, but you can see ‘Nights On Broadway – The Bee Gees Story’ and still experience a concert of the incredible music written by the brothers Gibb. ‘Nights On Broadway’ presents a tribute to the Bee Gees through their catalogue of hits over four decades from the 60s to the 90s. A blend of classic hits, acoustic medleys and dance floor fillers define the show, with full live band. This is a totally live concert experience which prides itself on musical and vocal authenticity, while the accompanying costume changes compliment the show to give audiences a truly original feeling. ‘Nights On Broadway’ will be staged on Friday 31^st October at 8pm. Tickets are great value at only £15 each.

See Sherlock Holmes in the classic adventure by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, ‘The Hound Of The Baskervilles’. In their inimitable style, Wireless Mystery Theatre turns the immortal mystery into a live old-time radio broadcast. This special new adaptation uses music and sound effects, period commercials and audience participation to create a rollicking caper full of retro charm, high energy, and dark, gothic fun. ‘The Hound Of The Baskervilles’ will be staged on Saturday 1^st November at 8pm. Tickets are priced £12.50 and £10.50 (concession). Tickets for all performances are available through the Box Office on [028] 3752 1821, or online at www.marketplacearmagh.com

In addition to all this, The Market Place Bar & Bistro will be serving up a terrifyingly tasty Halloween menu with offerings such as ‘Creatures From The Deep’, ‘Banshee Beef’ and ‘Zombie Zucchini’. The perfect complement to your Halloween Night Out.

110 Events, 26 Premieres, 18 Countries, 17 Days – One World Class Festival

As the 2014 Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s prepares to open the doors to a 17 day, city-wide, celebration of arts and culture Director Richard Wakely warmed up with a host of voices preparing for The Big Big Sing – just one of the 110 events from 18 countries that will be filling venues all over the city of Belfast as part of this year’s event.

With a total of 26 Premières, the Festival officially commences tonight (16^th October) with the Ulster Orchestra Opening Concert featuring Ukrainian violinist Valeriy Sokolov and the Orchestra’s Principal Guest Conductor, Jac Van Steen.  Artist in Residence Claire Cunningham  – who brings her show Guide Gods to Belfast for its Irish Première –  will join Europe’s top theatre directors and internationally acclaimed artists from the worlds of dance, film, theatre and music as the 2014 Festival strives to push boundaries, deliver diversity and encourage debate.

As an international Festival accredited with contributing £2million to the local economy and supporting over 300 full-time jobs the impact of the next 17 days is important for the city, Director of the Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s, Richard Wakely commented, “We look forward to welcoming NI audiences and visitors to the fantastic range of performances we have to offer over the next 17 days.  We are delivering internationally acclaimed pieces of work to this city which otherwise would not be available and with 88% of our shows under £15, including 23 free shows, I would encourage audiences to try something new!”

The 2014 Ulster Bank Belfast Festival will welcome two of the world’s leading theatre directors to Belfast – Peter Brook and Thomas Ostermeier – plus a host of leading ladies in Theatre, Dance and Music including four-time Grammy Award winning Jazz Vocalist Dianne Reeves, the legendary Bettye LaVette, celebrated actress, Charlotte Rampling and two-time Princess Grace Award winning choreographer Camille A. Brown – to name a few.

Ellvena Graham, Head of Ulster Bank Northern Ireland, said: “To have a world class event such as the Belfast Festival on our doorstep is a unique opportunity. We’ve been a proud supporter for many years and it continues to develop and flourish. It gives audiences the chance to experience something new and different. As title sponsor we’re very proud to be welcoming these fantastic international acts.  Over the next 17 days I know we’ll see many people take the opportunity to see some truly exciting and engaging performances.”

This year’s hot tickets include the European Première of Camille A Brown’s theatrical and gutsy African-American dance performance Mr TOL.E.RAncE; the UK and Irish Première of The Night Dances featuring Charlotte Rampling; the Irish Première of the world’s most celebrated Flamenco dancer Israel Galván; prestigious German Theatre Company Schaubühne Berlin presenting the Irish Première of the controversial production An Enemy of the People; the Northern Irish Première of The Suit – a moving story of adultery during apartheid from Director Peter Brook and his company Théâtre Des Bouffes Du Nord and the Northern Irish Première of Hannavas –  a free family event which will see the African Savannah come to Belfast city centre.

Roisin McDonough, Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, stated, “The Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s allows our local audiences to experience arts and culture that would otherwise not be available and it is vital for all our communities to have access to these experiences. We work hard, in partnership with the Festival, to ensure that we open the door to the arts and this year’s programme will definitely bring new experiences within the reach of everyone.” Alongside international artists the Festival will showcase the very best local talent with World Premières from our leading local theatre and dance companies. In addition, one of the key elements of this year’s programme is the new EMBRACE initiative supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland which will bring audiences ‘up close’ to world class artists in a series of masterclasses, workshops and talks.

Alongside international artists the Festival will showcase the very best local talent with World Premieres from our leading local theatre and dance companies. In addition, one of the key elements of this year’s programme is the new EMBRACE initiative supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland which will bring audiences ‘up close’ to world class artists in a series of masterclasses, workshops and talks.

Susie McCullough, Northern Ireland Tourist Board, “This international festival is a vital part of the creative heartbeat of the city and one that positions Belfast and Northern Ireland as a serious cultural hub within a European context. Visitors come from all over the world to enjoy the Belfast Festival and in doing so provide a great boost for our tourism industry.”

The Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s would not be possible without the support of sponsors and public sector funders including Title Sponsor, Ulster Bank, Principal Funder, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Queen’s University, Belfast City Council, British Council, O2 International Sim, Belfast Harbour, Arts & Business NI, Visit Belfast and the Department for Social Development, plus, the many venues, performers and partner organisations whose commitment and passion bring the arts to life for all to enjoy.

The 2014 Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s runs from 16th October – 1st November in venues all over Belfast, for more information and to book tickets ‘Check In’ to www.belfastfestival.com.

Two of Northern Ireland’s hottest theatrical writers have been commissioned to pen a pair of entertaining Christmas shows for Theatre at the Mill in Newtownabbey.

Paul Boyd, who has had several successful West End Shows, will kick off the season on December 1^st until the 13th with Tinseltown – a festive musical exploring the quirkier side of Christmas.

And 50 Shades of Red, White and Blue author Leesa Harker will follow on December 16^th until January 3rd with Slimmer for Christmas, a laugh out loud comedy about the drama of dieting, female friendship and Malteser addiction.

Bernard Clarkson, Arts Centres Manager for Newtownabbey Borough Council, explained: “Christmas is always a special time for the theatre, a time when we present something totally original for our audiences to enjoy, and this year we have two brand new Christmas shows back to back. These shows are aimed at older children and adults – they offer something totally different and a fresh look at Christmas – its unique pressures, foibles and traditions.”

Tinseltown is the 21st original stage musical by Newtownabbey writer and director Paul Boyd to be professionally produced, and the creative team behind the show is responsible for some of the most successful original stage musicals ever staged in Northern Ireland, with many transfers to the West End and productions around the world.

“We have created a Christmas musical fantasy with a live band and a big West End musical theatre sound. The show tells the story of a little town hidden in the middle of a forest that was founded centuries ago by Santa Claus. A young boy, who doesn’t believe in Santa, stumbles across the town and one of the town’s residents sees this as her chance to ruin Christmas for everyone once and for all,” he said.

“It is a simple, modern fairy tale presented in a grown up fashion that will appeal to adults and older children alike. The story looks at how all of the crazy, quirky holiday traditions we adhere to came about, and it re-writes the meaning behind them. In essence, Tinseltown is a re-imagining of the reasons behind our traditional holiday, featuring original musical numbers, beautiful seasonal sets and costumes, and it is performed by the most accomplished musical theatre cast to be found anywhere in Northern Ireland this Christmas,” he added.

The cast features musical theatre stars Jane Milligan (from the West End production of Mamma Mia), Rhiannon Chesterman (from the UK touring production of Hairspray), Conleth Kane (from Molly Wobbly and RTE’s Fame the Musical), Christopher Finn (from Theatre at The Mill’s Hunchback and Molly Wobbly), Northern Ireland TV star Nuala McKeever, and the Lyric Theatre Belfast’s former artistic director (previously seen in the West End in Blood Brothers and The Mousetrap) Richard Croxford.

Leesa Harker’s show Slimmer for Christmas is her first without her famed character Maggie Muff. She actually came up with the idea for the show 15 years ago while studying for her Open University degree in English Literature and was delighted when the Theatre at the Mill asked her to write a new Christmas show.

“I just loved the idea of the effort that women make to impress men when quite often the men aren’t really their Prince Charming,” she said.

In Slimmer for Christmas Sami Salt is on a mission. She has exactly six weeks of Flab-Busters classes and video workouts to slim down for the Christmas do and dazzle her gorgeous boss Mark Bond with her svelte shape and super new confidence to boot.

However, her friends have other ideas – each setting her up on a blind date to get her back into the dating scene. Will Sami slim down for Christmas? Will she woo Mark and live happily ever after? Or will she eat her own bodyweight in Maltesers like last year?

Slimmer for Christmas stars Julie Maxwell as Sami with Caroline Curran (star of 50 Shades) as her best friend.

For further information on these Christmas shows contact Theatre at the Mill on 02890340202 or www.theatreatthemill.com.

Armagh promises frightening levels of fun for the whole family this Halloween!

An eerie spotlight will be cast over the City of Armagh with a fun-filled and spooky themed programme of Halloween and October half-term events to suit all ages. From 15th October to 1st November, visitors can enjoy an outdoor concert, arts & crafts activities, terrifying trails, ghostly tours and chilling dramas.

Halloween Concert + Fireworks.

Headline Act: Kian Egan

Mon 27^th October @ The Shambles Yard

As the days draw shorter and the nights grow longer, a spooktacular Halloween party is just what’s needed! An open-air concert and fireworks display with former ‘Westlife’ star Kian Egan will take place at the Shambles Yard, Armagh on Monday 27th October. Kian will be performing tracks from his newly released debut album and will be supported  by ‘The Hair O  The Dawg’ and  ‘The Whistlin’  Donkeys’, before the evening ends with a fireworks  extravaganza lighting up the October night sky. Set to be a great family night, gates open at 6.00pm. Tickets cost £5.00 and are available at www.armagh.co.uk/halloweenconcert or at Armagh Visitor Information Centre on +44 (0) 28 3752 1800.

FAMILY FUN THIS HALLOWEEN

Family fun is guaranteed at The Navan Centre & Fort, with ‘Little Spooks’ from Thursday 30^th October to Saturday 1^st November. Enjoy the shadow puppet show and make your own puppet. Put your nerves to the test as you visit the ‘Boo Barn’.  Watch your step as you tip toe through the ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ trail.  Visit ‘Frankenstein’s Workshop’ where he will be busy working on experiments and vile potions.  He might even be looking for you to have a try… beware!! From Saturday 25^th to Sunday 26^th October, families can enjoy a weekend of family fun at The Argory’s ‘Pumpkins and Potions’ event. Come dressed in your most frightening costume and enter the spook shed for some ghoulish tales. Follow the troll, the goblin and the witch on the fantastic Hallowe’en Trail. Carve a pumpkin to take home and join in traditional Hallowe’en activities for all the family. On Tuesday 28^th October, Armagh ‘Planetscarium’ will host a free fun evening  with Twilight Rocket Launching, two free theatre shows and spooky arts and crafts and prizes for the best dressed. Pre-booking essential at +44 (0) 28 3752 3689.

ADULT CHILLS

The historic Armagh Gaol will open its doors for a series of spooky, special edition Halloween Tours on Fridays & Saturdays from 17th October to 1st November. The Gaol has seen and heard many ghostly goings-on since it closed its doors in 1986, although some would suggest this has been going on for much longer. Built on an old military barracks there have been noises and ghoulish carry-ons within the walls that have seen 3 men executed and many more deaths over its 200 year history. On this special spooky Halloween tour, you will be regaled with the harrowing stories associated with Armagh Gaol’s long history. Pre-booking essential at www.armaghgaoltours.com.

Be afraid, be very afraid… Halloween Night at Navan promises to be a ‘horrifying’ experience. Definitely not for the faint hearted! Join the guided walks through what can only be described as hair-raising trails, but perhaps your guide is the scariest of all… Through the bloodcurdling screams, be careful of your surroundings, you never know what’s lurking in the undergrowth, what can pop out from behind a tree, or where your guide is leading you!

Make the spine chilling visit to The Market Place Theatre this Halloween for thrilling drama’s, including ‘The Haunters’ on Thursday 30^th October and ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ on Saturday 1^st November.

Great Value Breaks

With so many events this Halloween it’s the perfect time to enjoy an overnight break to Armagh with a wide range of accommodation available. Enjoy one night’s dinner bed & breakfast for only £62.50pps at the Armagh City Hotel or stay at the newly refurbished Armagh City Youth Hostel from only £18pps or £48 per family. For full details on accommodation available in Armagh visit www.armagh.co.uk/stay.

For further information on any events this Halloween contact Armagh Visitor Information Centre on +44 (0) 28 3752 1800 or visit www.armagh.co.uk/halloween