The Lyric Theatre - The Ireland Funds

The Lyric
Theatre
A BEACON OF HOPE
MOVES TO A
NEW HOME
“A new theatre can be the most
exciting building in any city. It can
be the home of miracles and
epiphanies and revelations and
renovations. And building a new
theatre—especially in times like
these—is both an act of fortitude
and a gesture of faith in your
community.” – Playwright, Brian Friel
Architect’s CGI rendering of the new space: Maganglo Limited
The new home of the Lyric Theatre
set to open in May, 2011
connect 2010 |
15

On the banks of the Lagan River in Belfast, Brian Friel’s inspirational
quote is posted on a sign overlooking the bricks and mortar
that will soon be the new home of the Lyric Theatre. The theatre
has stood as a beacon of hope and high artistic standards since the
1950s and, in the darkest days of Northern Ireland’s Troubles, was
a place where messages of tolerance and peace were safely shared.
Thanks in part to the generosity of The Ireland Funds’ donors, the
Lyric Theatre is now preparing to move into a much-needed new
space. The improved venue will house performance, studio and
rehearsal areas.
But just as exciting as the landmark architecture and beautiful
acoustics of the new space is the ongoing work that the Lyric does
for the entire community in Northern Ireland. Often called the
“spiritual home” of such greats as Nobel Laureate Seamus
Heaney, actor Liam Neeson and playwright Brian Friel, the Lyric
is committed to bringing profound theatre experiences to those
who might otherwise never be exposed to them. They deliver
innovative programs to schools, prisons and segments of Northern
Ireland society that would perhaps not venture into a theatre.
And so, the Lyric goes to them.
The Ireland Funds are proud to support the Lyric Theatre and are confident that the
“epiphanies and revelations” of this next act have just begun.
One of the many schools in Northern Ireland
that benefits from the Lyric Theatre
Photo by: Steffan Hill Photography

Over the yearsthe Lyric Theatre has been a place where artists
and writers could come together, find a voice and challenge issues such as
sectarianism and stereotypes. As Dan Gordon, actor, director and longtime
supporter and trustee of the Lyric says, “Through plays, the Lyric engenders a
forum about the issues we need to look at together as a community. We expose,
we irritate and sometimes we illuminate.” Connect magazine sat down on
stage with Dan as he prepared for a performance of ‘The Miser’ by Molière, to
learn about the unique role the theatre plays in Northern Ireland.
Dan Gordon, Actor / Director / Lyric Theatre Trustee
Changing Mindsets
I grew up in East Belfast in a working class family and my
father was a worker in the shipyards. In 1977, I saw my
first play here at the Lyric when I was 17 years old. It was
the first time I had ever seen live theatre and I thought it
was the most amazing thing.
Well, I’ve been involved ever since. I stayed on
because I wanted to be involved in plays about this place,
about the people here. When you do a play here for locals,
there is no hiding place on tough issues and conversations
about the very place they live. The Lyric lets you be part of
big ideas. Now, the theatre is passing that on to this next
generation and I’ve seen it make a difference with my own
eyes. What we are doing with schools and subsequently
with the parents in the community is changing things.
And if we can change the mindset of the young people, we
can change everything.
Laying Foundations
I’ve written a series of six plays about heritage,
community and history that acknowledge all the cultures
here in Belfast. What we are doing is laying a foundation.
We’re keen to write pieces that don’t have just one starring
role where only one child can be the Annie or the Oliver.
We are crafting plays that have 120 children in them. Even
the shyest child can have a line and every child is involved.
‘Kissing the Shuttle’ highlighted the linen industry here
in Belfast. What was magnificent was that in the audience
we had 80 year olds that had worked in the mills, singing
the songs along with the children. It was truly a
community experience. The Lyric allowed us to do this in
12 schools all across Northern Ireland. We took it to
Enniskillen, we were in Co. Down, and we were in
Donegal. We got out of Belfast and kept going.
This year, we did a play in Wheatfield Primary
School. (Editor’s note: in 2001 this section of North Belfast
saw riots and violence between the Catholic and Protestant
communities over a 300 yard stretch of road that separates
them. Things have improved but tensions still run high in the
area.) The Holy Cross kids on the other side came over to
see the play in the Wheatfield Primary School. That invitation
increased interaction between both sides of the
community. First and foremost we are a theatre, but it’s
clear that building audiences builds other things in a
community. The feedback we’ve received from the
schools is tremendous. We’re not out there trying to make
actors; we’re trying to make well-rounded people.
Fighting With Words
The Lyric also takes theatre into prisons, often
encountering those who are in for life. We put on a
production of ‘A Night in November’ which is based on a
true story of the Greysteel killings. (Editor’s note: In 1993,
members of a loyalist paramilitary group opened fire in a bar
in Greysteel, Northern Ireland. It was assumed those who were
there were Catholic since they were watching soccer on television.
Eight civilians were killed and thirteen were wounded.)
Two of the guys who were responsible for that
shooting were in the audience. Who’s to say how it
affected them, but they were there. As we performed I
thought, ‘I don’t have a gun to fight these guys, but I can
fight with them with words.’ People will sometimes say ‘oh
it’s only a play’ but no, I say theatre has the potential to be
much more powerful than that.
The new building is going to be magnificent, but the
sustainability afterwards will be the big need and the
investment must continue. After the launch, what will be
the second show? And the one after that? This is where we
have the opportunity to do even more for this community.
connect 2010 |
17

A Night in November by Marie Jones
Stones In His Pockets by Marie Jones
“There weren’t many people from the part of Belfast I grew up in that made it to university. In the last couple of years
of the sixties Belfast was burning again, the flames fanned by bitter sectarian strife. For those of us who were teenagers
then, it was easy to be sucked into that fire. Tribal identity has a strong pull and I was no more immune to it than
anyone else. But in April 1969 I was dragged by a teacher to the newly opened Lyric Theatre. I was sixteen and
probably went kicking and screaming. The play was Sheridan’s ‘The School for Scandal’ and it changed my life. The
thrill of live performance. The sense of that special place that a theatre is. In those days the buses went off early, but
I can remember walking home on air. And after that I went back again and again. The theatre gave me a sort of
literacy. It opened my eyes and it gave me other alternatives to dream about. That’s what the theatre does best. It
teaches you to dream with your eyes open. And that’s what I’ve been doing ever since.”— Professor David Johnston, Playwright
We Do It For Love by Patrick Galvin
The Hidden Curriculum by Graham Reid
The Flats by John Boyd

The Stars Shine with The American Ireland Fund
for the Lyric Theatre
John Ryan, Pauline Ryan, Meryl Streep
To kick off 2010, Chairman of The American Ireland Fund, Loretta
Brennan Glucksman hosted a dinner in her home to support Belfast’s
Lyric Theatre. Among those demonstrating their great love for the
theatre and its importance to Northern Ireland were Liam Neeson,
Meryl Streep, Aidan Quinn and Ciaran Hinds. The dinner was also
attended by leading supporters of the Fund from across the country and
by key representatives of the Lyric Theatre, including Mark Carruthers
and Sir George Bain. Funding was raised for the theatre’s new venue and
the night was a wonderful showcase for the imagination and creativity
that exists in Northern Ireland.
Partners with The American
Ireland Fund in supporting
the Lyric Theatre include:
John Fitzpatrick
Tina Flaherty
Michael George
Loretta Brennan Glucksman
Jim & Jackie Higgins
Dolores McCall
George & Angela Moore
Susan Morrice
John & Debbie O’Donoghue
Jim & Diane Quinn
John and Pauline Ryan
Josh Stewart
Bill Walsh
Dolores McCall, Liam Neeson
Loretta Brennan Glucksman, Colum McCann
“In the face of deep divisions that keep our communities apart, the Lyric serves as a powerful unifying force, providing a safe and
neutral space in which people from different backgrounds come together to be empowered, inspired, engaged and
entertained. I really believe in the power of theatre to break down barriers and heal in a very deep, fundamental, spiritual way.
And Northern Ireland needs that. It needs the Lyric Theatre.” — Liam Neeson OBE, Lyric Theatre Patron
The Lyric Theatre needs support to sustain its unique outreach in Northern Ireland. If you would like to learn more
about how you can contribute to this key project, please visit www.irlfunds.org/connect
connect 2010 |
19