Desire and Destruction at the Riverside Theatre

THE Riverside Theatre in Coleraine launches a new spring season of shows known collectively as Desire and Destruction, with 12 drama productions between February and June, currently the largest drama programme of any theatre in Northern Ireland including work by Shakespeare, Shelagh Delaney, Sylvia Plath, Bertolt Brecht, Harold Pinter, Moliere and even Sam Hanna Bell and Sam Cree.

A risk? Certainly – in the short term. But, in the longer term, it is also a reflection of the sincere wish to uphold the central role of drama in theatre programming (Desire) and recognition of the paucity of arts funding for regional venues (Destruction). Life, and a reflection of it in theatre, is driven by emotion. People respond to this, whatever the economic climate. Americans have therapy, we have theatre.

In all its heart-tugging glory, the Spring programme includes Romeo & Juliet and A Taste of Honey, from Love & Madness Theatre Company; Speranza:Lady Wilde from Lites Production Company; and The Caretaker from London Classic Theatre Company.

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And from Northern Ireland, The Absence of Women and The Miser from the Lyric Theatre, Three Women from C21 Theatre Company, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui from the fabulous Bruiser Theatre Company, That Woman at Rathard from Centre Stage, The Haunting of Helena Blunden from Big Telly Theatre Company, The Sign of the Whale from Tinderbox Theatre Company, and Family Fever from the McQuillan Drama Group.

The Spring programme commences on February 18, with a full complement of music, drama, comedy and variety to suit all tastes.

Tickets are available online at www.riversidetheatre.org.uk or from the Box Office on 028 7032 3232.