Photo credit, Ciaran Bagnall
Image description: A group of performers on an outdoor stage in colourful costumes
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
International day for persons with disability 2025
Don’t Fence Me In
A Rogue Encounters Production for Brain Injury Matters
Devised and Performed by The Unusual Suspects Ensemble
Directed by David Calvert: Artistic Director, Rogue Encounters
An ensemble like no other! Survivors of a catastrophic brain injury, truth-telling in a vivid physical theatre style at Northern Ireland’s premier professional producing theatre.
Image description: 3 performers on stage
Elaborating on a fragment from the 2024 production at the Lyric Theatre, The Rhythm of Two Hearts, for the 2025 International Day for Persons with Disability at the Lyric, Unusual Suspects presented a personal story to highlight the support needs of brain injury sufferers in general. This new work was a combination of intimate story-telling and vibrant ensemble messaging about the challenges of habituating to a life post brain injury, with emphasis on vital support needs.
Kathryn is the youngest member of the ensemble, a young woman in her mid-twenties, whose life force is undiminished by the catastrophic brain injury she suffered aged eighteen. “I was having fun then and I want fun again”, she declared in the 2024 production, pointing to a screen image of herself as a vivacious eighteen-year-old on a night out.
Don’t Fence Me In featured emotionally intimate depictions of Kathryn’s pre and post brain injury story and highlighted the challenges of ‘habituating’ to a post-injury life.
Unusual Suspects is a unique theatrical ensemble that now has three successful productions of original work under its belt, highlighting, supporting and giving voice to those living with acquired brain injury and the families affected.
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.
