Local actor Orla Mullan is swapping TV drama for festive theatre this Christmas, taking on the title role of the fabulous and wicked showgirl Goldilocks in the MAC’s ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’.

Orla grew up in Limavady and attended Loreto College in Coleraine. Playing Goldilocks rounds off a particularly busy year for the actor, with appearances in Blue Lights, Cuckoo-land and Steel Magnolias, as well as a return to Derry’s Millennium Forum in The White Handkerchief earlier this year.

Orla is joined by Ellen Conway as Baby Bear, Chris Robinson as Daddy Bear, Meabh Quinn as Mummy Bear and Annie Chadwick as Red Riding Hood with Sean O’Neill completing the cast.

A family favourite for generations, Goldilocks and the Three Bears has been given a fresh new twist by acclaimed Northern Irish playwright Ciarán Haggerty and director Patrick J O’Reilly.

Baby Bear, the newly adopted cub at the heart of the story, arrives at his new forest home with a tiny suitcase and one big wish: to belong.

Eager to impress his new family, he finds himself at the centre of a series of hilarious mishaps. But when Orla’s fabulous and very wicked Goldilocks arrives in search of a new theatrical sidekick, Baby Bear faces an unexpected choice.

Speaking about the production, Head of Live Programming at the MAC, Julie Stewart said: “Everyone thinks they know the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but we’ve had great fun turning expectations upside down and creating something full of laughter, heart and Christmas magic.

"Whether you’re five or 95, there’s something in this show for everyone. It has all the ingredients for a brilliant festive family trip, from big songs and bigger laughs to moments that will stay with audiences long after they leave the theatre.”

The magic doesn’t stop when the curtain comes down, with the MAC helping to spread some festive cheer beyond the stage this Christmas – thanks to a heartwarming link up with Cash for Kids Mission Christmas.

Families attending the show, or just visiting the MAC this Christmas, are also encouraged to bring along a new teddy bear and the MAC will ensure their donated teddy makes its way to the Cash for Kids Mission Christmas charity appeal, supporting children and families across Northern Ireland and helping ensure a little Christmas magic reaches far beyond the theatre doors.

Whether Christmas at the MAC is already part of your family’s festive traditions or you’re looking to start a brand-new one, Goldilocks and the Three Bears promises a fun-filled festive adventure that is warm, funny and, most importantly, ‘just right’.

From November 25, 2026 to January 1, 2027, audiences are invited to step into the magical wintery woodland for the enchanting new festive production.

Packed with original music, festive fun and plenty of laugh-out-loud chaos, this year’s Christmas show combines big-hearted storytelling with all the magic, mischief and wonder audiences have come to expect from Christmas at the MAC.

For tickets and further information, visit the MAC’s Goldilocks and the Three Bears event page.