Project Blog

On 19th June ex-workers, current staff, well-wishers and the curious gathered to watch Eastwoods and Sons roll the heavy machinery and begin the demolition of the old Lyric building on Ridgeway Street. Demolition was completed over the last few weeks and the site is now ready for construction to begin in August.

You can watch Maggie Taggart’s Newsline report on the demolition here. (Courtesy, BBC Northern Ireland)

On a beautiful May morning the symbolic demolition of the old Lyric Theatre was begun by Edwin Poots, Minster of DCAL, Jim Rodgers, Lord Mayor of Belfast and Roisin McDonough, Chief Executive of ACNI. Demolition can begin due to the granting of an extra £3.2m to the new theatre by DCAL as part of their Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland 2 fund.

Two important milestones have been passed for the project in recent weeks. Planning permission for the new building was granted by Belfast City Council at its meeting on 17 April. The long established Northern Ireland construction firm, Gilbert Ash, has also been appointed as preferred bidder for the construction contract. Gilbert Ash has constructed many of the most important arts auditoria in Northern Ireland in recent years including the Waterfront Hall. Read the rest of this entry »

The Parker Project, which saw Belfast playwright Stewart Parker’s first and last plays brought to the stage by the Lyric in co-production with the Dublin Theatre Company Rough Magic has now moved to The Empty Space, Smock Alley, Dublin, running from 24th May - 15th June.

The two plays Spokesong (1976) and Pentecost (1987), directed by Parker’s niece Lynne were received with great praise throughout their three week run in the Bank Buildings. The Irish Times praised ‘an accomplished production with stirring exhortations towards spiritual, human transformation.’ The Parker Project lays down a marker of the quality audiences can expect in the new Lyric Theatre.

The Lyric’s next play is Pumpgirl at the Queen’s Drama Studio from Queens Drama Studio, Belfast from 1st to 20th September and tour throughout Northern Ireland after.

For more details go to lyrictheatre

Liam Neeson was guest of honour at an exciting and emotional weekend to celebrate the end of an era at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast. Liam is Patron of the Lyric and has been closely involved with the campaign to raise funds for a new theatre.

Describing his early career at the Lyric as “the best training any actor could have”, Liam held a press conference at the Lyric on his return to the much-loved Belfast venue for the first time since his last appearance on its stage in 1977. This was followed by a private dinner in Roscoff’s Brasserie for major supporters of the Lyric’s fundraising campaign. The menu for the evening was carefully selected by Paul Rankin in honour of Liam’s Lyric homecoming and reflected the best in local product.

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