The world premiere of AFTER THE RAIN, a specially commissioned production featuring globally acclaimed French circus collective Compagnie XY accompanied by a 50 plus strong local ensemble of musicians, choirs and local acrobats will be taking place at 3pm on Sunday 27 and Monday 28 August in the Guildhall Square in Derry~Londonderry.

An Imperial War Museum (IWM) 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund commission in partnership with Ulster Presents at Ulster University, it is co-produced by In Your Space Circus in Derry City and delivered in association with Circusful and Institut Francais.

Inspired by the people and communities of the city in sustaining 25 years of peace-building since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, AFTER THE RAIN explores physical and spiritual resilience in the face of obstacles through a mass collective acrobatic act of lifting each other up. It is Compagnie XY’s first ever work produced on the island of Ireland and is one of only two new works produced by this 40-strong collective of acrobats. The other for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The production, two years in the making, included a visit by Compagnie XY to Derry in September 2022 where they delivered a surprise week-long series of pop-up performances across the city. Over five days, Les Voyages Derry-Londonderry interacted with thousands of city residents in their neighbourhood parks, shopping centres, pubs and local hairdressers before a moving reunion event in St. Columb’s Park.

Those acrobatic performances marked the beginning of a journey, getting to know the people of the city, building trust and collaborations; it involved the city’s citizens interacting with the troupe in a series of encounters during their everyday lives- being carried, lifted and falling into their arms – each interaction a unique and uplifting experience for those involved.

AFTER THE RAIN sees Compagnie XY, in collaboration with local artists, return to deliver a one-off performance inspired by the resilience of the people and the city like no other seen before.

Speaking on the project Cian Smyth, Ulster Presents Manager, Ulster University said: “After The Rain is the culmination of many years work to bring Compagnie XY to Ireland. It is a rare opportunity for Irish audiences to witness one of the best contemporary circus companies in the world perform with Northern Ireland’s best at home, for the first time. Ulster Presents is very excited to make that happen. As Ulster University’s new programme committed to celebrating ambition and excellence in the arts, this is a project that connects our work with communities neighbouring our campuses to the brilliant innovations of local and international artists.”

AFTER THE RAIN has been funded by the IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund, a national partnership programme of over 20 artist commissions inspired by the heritage of conflict. Led by Imperial War Museums, the IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund was created following the success of 14-18 NOW, the official UK arts programme for the First World War centenary.

Caro Howell, Director-General of Imperial War Museums (IWM) said; “The IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund continues IWM’s longstanding and important tradition of supporting artistic responses to conflict. It has been a pleasure to work with Ulster University to produce this community driven commission with Compagnie XY and we look forward to sharing this uplifting and exciting experience with the broader Derry-Londonderry community.”

Antoine Billaud, of Compagnie XY, said: “Compagnie XY have always wanted to perform in Ireland and we could not have wished for a better first time than with the people and artists of Derry City. Our work is always centred around the idea of celebrating and building community and we have had a wonderful two years coming to Derry and this is going to be a thank you to our new friends in the city and a time to champion all of our brilliant collaborators there. This is for you, Derry, we hope you like it!”

Cath McBride, Director of In Your Space Circus, said; “This is a unique opportunity for In Your Space Circus to collaborate with Compagnie XY to deliver a show of this scale to our audiences in Derry. It will be something completely different and we have no doubt that those watching will be astounded by the experience. In Your Space Circus, with Circusful, is proud to be commissioning local artists alongside Compagnie XY. This will include some of the most talented acrobats, musicians and spoken word artists in Northern Ireland, performing in what will be two very special, moving and inspirational performances.”

The production forms part of Ulster University’s overarching arts programme to mark 25 years since the signing of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement. For more information on this free and unticketed event and to sign up for Ulster Presents event news please visit After The Rain (ulster.ac.uk).

One of the world’s top selling crime writers, Lee Child, will be a very special guest at the John Hewitt International Summer School at The Market Place Theatre in Armagh when he and his brother, Andrew Child, will appear in person at a Crime Fiction Special, hosted by Armagh own stellar crime writer, Stuart Neville, on Monday 24 July.

For five years now, Stuart Neville has collaborated with the John Hewitt Society to curate this Crime Fiction Special and invite to Armagh some of the best-known crimes writers. In 2022, Val McDermid,’the Queen of Crime’ and Mark Billingham, regarded as the UK ‘Statesman of Crime Fiction’, came to the Armagh festival. This year, Stuart has gone one better and managed to entice Lee and Andrew Child to his home patch.

The creator of the iconic Jack Reacher Series, a global publishing phenomenon, Lee Child is one of the world’s leading thriller writers was born and raised in England and now lives in New York. He is the recipient of many awards, most recently Author of the Year at the 2019 British Book Awards. He was appointed CBE in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

It is said one of Lee Child novels featuring his hero Jack Reacher, Jack Reacher, ‘the coolest continuing series character’ according to Stephen King, is sold somewhere in the world every nine seconds. His books consistently achieve the number-one slot on bestseller lists around the world and have sold over one hundred million copies.

After Law School and work in the theatre, Lee joined Granada Television for what turned out to be an eighteen-year career as a presentation director during British TV’s “golden age.” During his tenure his company made “Brideshead Revisited” , “The Jewel in the Crown”, “Prime Suspect”, and “Cracker”. But he moved on in 1995 at the age of 40 as a result of corporate restructuring.

Always a voracious reader, he decided to see an opportunity where others might have seen a crisis, bought six dollars’ worth of paper and pencils and sat down to write a book, “Killing Floor”, the first in the Jack Reacher series.

2022 marks the 25^th anniversary of the publication of  “Killing Floor” and it also sees the arrival of the 27^th novel in the series, ”No Plan B”. Earlier this year 2022 Reacher hit the screens and became Amazon Prime’s most watched series with a second series immediately being commissioned.

Recently Lee Child announced that, after an extraordinary career, he was about to retire from writing and Andrew Child, his younger brother and a highly successful thriller author in his own right, has taken on the daunting task of continuing the Jack Reacher series. However. As part of ‘passing on the baton’, Lee and Andrew have collaborated on three thrillers to date, with the most recent, pulse-pounding read,  “No Plan B , Jack Reacher being described by Karen Slaughter as “perfectly plotted .. with bigger twists than ever before”.

Andrew Lee  worked in the telecommunications industry in the UK as a ‘temporary’ solution to a short-term cash crisis. Fifteen years later, after carrying out a variety of roles – including a number which were covered by the UK Official Secrets Act – Andrew escaped from corporate life, and established himself as a crime writer, using his family name.

As Andrew Grant, he is the author of nine critically-acclaimed thrillers including “Even”, “Die Twice”, “More Harm Than Good”, “False Witness” and “Too Close To Home”. Andrew is married to novelist Tasha Alexander, and lives on a wildlife preserve in Wyoming, USA.

For the Crime Fiction Special at the Market Place Theatre, Lee and Andrew Child will be in Conversation with Stuart Neville, one of the most popular UK Crime Writers.

Stuart Neville’s debut novel, “The Twelve” (published in the USA  as “The Ghosts of Belfast”) won the Mystery/Thriller category of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and was picked as one of the top crime novels of 2009 by both the New York Times and the LA Times.

Tickets to see Lee and Andrew Child In Conversation with Stuart at  the Hewitt Sjummer School are already in big demand and are available fom Box Office at he Market Place Theatre on dHe has since published nine more critically acclaimed books, two of which were under the pen name Haylen Beck and has been shortlisted for various awards, including the MWA Edgar, CWA Dagger, Theakstons Old Peculier Novel of the Yea, as well as the Irish Book Awards Crime Novel of the Year.

Tickets for the Crime Fiction Special with Stuart In Conversation with Lee and Andrew Child in person are already on sale (and tickets are selling fast} at the Market Place Theatre Box Office on 03300 561 025 and Online at visitarmagh.com/marketplacetheatre

FANS visiting the new Derry Girls Experience in the Tower Museum in Derry-Londonderry can enjoy the ultimate overnight break and Be A Derry Girl with the Everglades Hotel.

From only £160* per room (based on two people sharing) guests can enjoy luxurious overnight accommodation and the hotel’s famous themed Derry Girls Afternoon Tea with cocktail and a selection of tasty treats including sandwiches, freshly baked scones & breads and pastry assortment with a Derry Girls twist – sausage roll baps, fresh cream horns, cone of chips. You’ll also get your very own Michelle, the Derry Girls duck to take home with you and full Irish breakfast the following morning.

Guests will also have the chance to get their picture taken with the hotel’s famous resident, Michelle the Derry Girls duck!

The Everglades Hotel is conveniently located to the Tower Museum which is hosting the new immersive Derry Girls Exhibition which features props and set pieces from the Bafta-winning sitcom which follows five teenagers living in Derry in the mid-1990s during the final years of the Troubles.

Fans of the show will be able to view parts of the original sets, including the Quinn living room and kitchen, as well as props like Spice Girls costumes from season three, the Child of Prague statue and Ma Mary’s rosary beads.

For further information go to www.evergladeshotelderry.com or call 028 7132 1066.

*Subject to availability. Package does not include tickets to the Derry Girls Exhibition.

A pioneering travel company, set up by a father on his paternity leave, is launching its inaugural tour promising to uncover a side of Belfast rarely found in tourist books.

The brainchild of Gareth Maguire, Unheard Adventures was conceived and built by the Belfast native after the birth of his first child in 2022 when he took five weeks paternity leave from his role in tech.  Gareth’s focus is on curating hidden gems and vibrant cultural experiences for travellers seeking immersive and unique experiences.

The company’s first tour is “Belfast- the then and now” a two-part experience taking place on Saturday July 8^th which promises an unforgettable journey through Belfast’s rich history and vibrant cultural and traditional musical scene.

The tour begins with a Belfast political history tour, led by knowledgeable locals who lived, worked and fought during the turbulent Troubles from the 1960s through to the late 90s. Men and women will share their personal stories and explain how religion, rebellion, politics, and conflict shaped their experiences and the cityscape, uncovering the intriguing murals that narrate the area’s local history and culture.

Following a stop for lunch in Belfast’s trendy and vibrant Cathedral quarter, participants then embark on the Belfast Traditional Music trail, with two professional musicians as guides.

Here they will be treated to a performance of captivating Irish tunes, songs and stories, as they walk through cobbled alleyways, past iconic landmarks and on to three different bars housed in some of the city’s oldest buildings, where they can enjoy a local beer, cider, whiskey or Guinness.

Each pub visit unveils a new musical dimension, with different instruments taking the spotlight, offering a unique insight into the similarities and differences between Belfast and Scottish music, as well as the distinctiveness of Irish melodies from various regions.

The tour, which costs £80 per person, will commence at 10:30am beside the famous Europa Hotel on Great Victoria Street, concluding at 5:30 pm.

Participants can prolong their stay with a special overnight rate at the Europa or Grand Central hotel from £100 per night on both Friday and Saturday.

“In 2022, while on paternity leave, I approached my friend, Matt Lynch to develop the idea for Unheard Adventures. We both share a passion for storytelling and for our hometown, Belfast, despite residing in different parts of the world – Dublin and Dubai,” says Gareth.

“Our aim is to create unforgettable memories and invite travellers to embark on off-the-beaten-path journeys that go beyond the ordinary. Our inaugural tour on Saturday July 8^th promises something very different to what’s available right now in a city bursting with history and culture.”

You can reserve your spot by visiting www.unheardadventures.com/product/belfast/