Comedy, drama and ballet at the Riverside

The Riverside is delighted to welcome back distinguished British actor Nicholas Collett, who will be presenting his new show “Spitfire Solo”, bringing the piece to Northern Ireland for a week.

He has just returned from a month in Australia, appearing as part of Guy Masterson’s Centre for International Theatre (CIT) at the Adelaide Fringe.

During this time he was able to get in the cockpit of a real Spitfire VC at the South Australian Aviation Museum in Port Adelaide. The owner, Langdon Badger, gave Nicholas permission to climb aboard, fulfilling a lifetime ambition for the actor.

It is June of the new Millennium. For eighty-year old Peter Walker, ex-Battle of Britain pilot, an unexpected new challenge is about to begin.

From the comfort of the Silver Birches Retirement Home, he must once again find the resilience, determination and strength to do what must be done. As he re-lives past glories, losses, wartime experiences, family memories and the heady days of blue skies and battles, he searches for the answer to the biggest question so far!

Personal, charming, funny and inventive, ‘Spitfire Solo’ is one man’s battle for survival – the second time around. Blending theatre, music and film in this multi-layered and textured production, It’s being presented in Riverside at 8pm on Thursday, May 10 for one night only and is not to be missed!

This is closely followed by the first presentation of professional ballet in the Theatre’s spring season: The Sleeping Beauty, which is being performed for one night only – at 8pm on Saturday, May 12.

At the time of writing there were a few tickets left. It’s being performed by one of Britain’s most exciting, professional ballet companies making its second visit to Coleraine.

The performance is being delivered by Ballet Theatre UK’s internationally acclaimed company of gifted dancers, along with over sixty handcrafted costumes and three glittering stage sets.

This spectacular production uses Tchaikovsky’s glorious music and stunning classical choreography to reawaken the magic of the world’s favourite fairy tale in an enchanted world of castles, curses, forests and fairies.

Riverside tickets can be purchased via: www.riversidetheatre.org.uk <