Can you ‘Help’ Patrick Kielty?

Patrick was so impressed with his first visit to the Island ahead of his sell out show at the Grand Opera House in Belfast earlier this year, that he was keen to get back to the local stage.

Upgrading from the Studio Theatre to the Island Hall, Patrick will bring his new show ‘Help’ back to the Lisburn audience, so anyone who missed out the first time round can have another chance to catch the Northern Ireland comedian in action.

“Before we went to the Opera House we did a few warm ups and it was my first time at the Island Centre,” he explained. “I couldn’t believe it was such a lovely big theatre.

“I had been writing for months and that was the first time performing it. The local warm up was probably as much craic as any of the bigger gigs.

“There’s a bit were the audience get involved and the Lisburn crowd were great craic.”

The inspiration for the new show came from Patrick’s time in America, where he realised people are quick to share all their problems and woes. “Being in America you realise you hardly even know people before they tell you all their problems and issues,” he continued.

“I found I was in a place where I was really happy and I thought ‘what if it all goes wrong’. That is where the show came from. It’s like a little handbook for life.”

Patrick hopes he will get some good advice from the people of Lisburn during his show. “Instead of seeing a shrink I thought I would go out and share with an audience instead. We are back doing this gig because the audience in Lisburn was just so good,” he added.

He is also hoping that people who missed the show the first time round will get the chance to see it on the local stage and make use of the fantastic arts venue in the heart of Lisburn.

“Years ago in Northern Ireland we didn’t have the theatres. You played the Opera House and then you maybe did leisure centres or clubs. Now we have world class theatres.

“One of the things that shocked me is that I have never been in the Island Arts Centre before and it is genuinely a world class venue.

“We have got brilliant venues and lots of great shows. People should really appreciate it and make use of them.

“Obviously buy a ticket for my show first and then see what else is on offer,” he joked.

Patrick Kielty will be playing the Island Arts Centre on Thursday June 11 and tickets are on sale from the Box Office on 9250 9254 or log onto www.islandartscentre.com.