For our Belfast, Here I Come! weekend, we have specially created a bespoke festival model for Belfastwith the programming stemming mostly from a single work of art, Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa. Tocelebrate the 25th anniversary of this play we have created five Belfest responses in talks, music,dance, kite-flying and cuisine.Our five Belfests:AMONGST WOMENDancing At Lughnasa uniquelyfeatures five women as its maincharacters. In response, we havedecided to present our talks &discussions’ programme as an allwomen celebration of femaleachievement today, by comparisonto the frustration of aspiration forwomen in the 1930s, when theplay was set.THE MUNDY CONCERTSThe Mundy sisters of the play aremodelled on Brian Friel’s fiveaunts – Kate, Chris, Maggie,Agnes & Rose. In response, wehave programmed three classicalmusic artists, Leonora, Katya andRuby. Classical music features inmost of Mr Friel’s plays.DANCING CRANESThe pairs of red-crested Japanesebirds (known as dancing cranes)are a delight to watch, as isBelfast’s man-made andextraordinary graceful toweringcranes Samson and Goliath –Belfast’s answer to AntonyGormley’s ‘The Angel of theNorth’! We are borrowing theiriconic imagery for our dancecelebration. There are six dances(one silent) in Dancing atLughnasa and in response wehave devised five outdoor dancesites over the weekend, all free tothe public. Dance is the spacebeyond words… Celebrations inancient times were at iconic sitesof rivers & hilltops. We havechosen to highlight Belfast’s iconicsites of today for celebration–Titanic slipways, Lagan Weirfootbridge, the Peace Wall, GiantsRing and City Hall!NEW NORTHSThe ancient Lughnasa festivalcelebrated the new harvest. Theplay Dancing at Lughnasa is set inthe kitchen. Brian Friel lives onthe 55th North Parallel in northDonegal as did his literary heroAnton Chekhov in Moscow.Belfast is also on the 55th North.So in response we will celebratethe 55th – 60th Northern corridorof Scotland, Scandinavia, theBaltic Countries and northernRussia in a shared food fest of thedifferent countries using NorthernIreland best produce. The NewNorths food fest will be availableat all five Dancing Cranes eventsand KiteTanica.New Norths festival is funded bythe Northern Ireland RegionalFood Programme.KITETANICAThroughout the length ofthe play, Dancing atLughnasa, the boy Michaelis designing and playingwith his kites in the garden.Our response is to createBelfast’s first kite-fest.20 LUGHNASA <strong>INTERNATIONAL</strong> FRIEL FESTIVAL 2015
FESTIVALSIGNATUREPLAYDANCING AT LUGHNASA BY BRIAN FRIELLyric Theatre, Belfast26 August - 27 SeptemberTue - Sat 7:45pm, Sat & Sun 2:30pm£26.50/£15* | 2hrs 15minsPresented by Lyric Theatre, Belfast in associationwith the Lughnasa International Friel Festival.Winner of an Olivier Award and a Tony Award,Dancing at Lughnasa is one of the mostacclaimed and loved Irish plays of recent times.Set in County Donegal in 1936 during the Celticharvest festival of Lughnasa, the play tells thestory of the five Mundy sisters and their brotherJack, who has returned home from the missionsin Africa after 25 years away.This new production, which marks the 25thanniversary of the play’s premiere in Dublin, isdirected by award-winning Annabelle Comyn.*Concessions available, see website for details.For more information and to book tickets, seewebsite: www.lyrictheatre.co.ukLUGHNASA <strong>INTERNATIONAL</strong> FRIEL FESTIVAL 2015 21
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