A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM AT THE LYRIC THEATRE
Summer Shakespeare Outdoors – July 2024
The Rogue Encounters/Lyric Theatre partnership was taken to a new level with the wonderful ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, as part of Belfast City Council’s Culture 24 promotion.
A Rogue Encounters ensemble of 10 young people, supported by a fabulous Rogue Creative Team, performed the fairies, in a professional outdoor production that will live long in the memory of everyone who took part or attended as audience.
This groundbreaking production in the grounds of the Lyric Theatre, with a wonderful riverside backdrop, was made memorable for the Rogue Encounters ensemble by the generous creative freedom encouraged by Lyric Artistic Director, Jimmy Fay, and the extraordinary accomplishment of the Lyric Theatre Production Team.
The Rogue Encounters ensemble repaid the generosity of a highly professional cast of professional actors with disciplined and joyful choreography that delivered the ‘other-worldly’ magic for the forest setting of the play.
The collaboration with the Beyond Skin project’s superb musicians from diverse cultures was another highlight. Musical influences from across the globe infused the choreography with an other-worldly ambience.
All-in-all, a spectacular breakthrough production that showcased the best of Belfast professional theatre talent.The Rhythm of Two Hearts
Devised and performed by The Unusual Suspects
A Rogue Encounters/Brain Injury Matters Production
Rogue Encounters celebrated International Day for Persons with Disability in December 2024 at the Lyric Theatre with a performance by the extraordinary physical theatre ensemble, The Unusual Suspects.
The Rhythm of Two Hearts was the second full-scale production by the ensemble directed by David Calvert and supported by the Rogue Encounters Creative team. The production told stories of love in the lives of ensemble members who have each suffered a catastrophic brain injury at some point in their lives, but have survived with courage, endurance and a good measure of good humour. The show was a totally captivating and heart-rending experience for everyone who witnessed it, and the ensemble just goes from strength to strength in the delivery of ground-breaking physical theatre storytelling.
Annual Lyric Showcase
The annual 4-day Lyric Theatre residency featured 4 Rogue Encounters Projects: Physical Graffiti, All Doors Open, Urban Species and Lyric All Ability Project.
Yet again, an incredibly diverse range of participants, with 47 participants in total taking the stage, and, as always, a wonderful sense of creative exuberance, joy and celebration to a packed auditorium.
A standout item in this year’s display was the Urban Species Project, featuring nationalities from Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan and Syria, alongside a strong contingent from two West Belfast schools, All Saints College and Colaiste Feirste. Plans are in place to expand the involvement of youth from refugee/asylum seeking families in the 2025/26 Urban Species membership.
A special mention for the professional Creative Team that is really hitting its stride, comprising Jade Quinn, Billí Mills, Holly Hanaway and SoSo Ni Cheallaigh, not forgetting the contribution of film maker, Michael McNulty, who delivered, yet again, wonderful screen images for the event.
Excellent support from the Lyric Theatre staff, with a special call out to Lighting Technician, Cory, who was a delight to work with. Lyric Technical Manager, Patrick Glackin, was on hand throughout the 4 days to ensure that we were well looked after in the building.
