North Antrim acting colossus Conleth Hill part of triumphant trio in Lyric Theatre's Faith Healer

Award-winning Ballycastle actor Hill, Lisa Dwyer Hogg and Chris McCurry take on the revival of Friel’s masterpiece as part of the Lyric Theatre’s 75th anniversary season.

Running until Saturday, November 14, Faith Healer weaves an extraordinary tale of a travelling healer who, after making his way through Wales and Scotland, returns to his homeland of Ireland in the hope of regaining his fading powers.

Frank Hardy (Hill) offers miracle cures to the sick and suffering, but as a man who is part showman, part shaman, his gift is astonishing and dangerously unreliable.

Frank, his wife Grace (Dwyer Hogg), and his manager Teddy (McCurry), each recounts their shared life on the road. As their memories clash and competing versions of the past emerge, Friel’s spellbinding prose crafts a powerful and haunting exploration of memory, belief and the stories we tell.

There was a full house for the opening night of Faith Healer, with the performances receiving an immediate standing ovation at the end of the evening.

Tickets are already selling incredibly quickly for the run of Faith Healer, no doubt helped by the box office draw that is Conleth Hill.

Hill, from Ballycastle, was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 2001 (2000 season) for Best Actor for his performance in "Stones in His Pockets" at the New Ambassadors and York's Theatre. He was also nominated for Broadway's 2001 Tony Award as Best Actor (Play) for "Stones in His Pockets".

In 2005 he was honoured with his second Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Performance in a supporting role in a musical for his role in "The Producers".

Written by Brian Friel and directed by Emma Jordan, the Lyric Theatre’s production of Faith Healer is suitable for audiences aged 14 and over. It runs until November 14. Tickets via https://lyrictheatre.co.uk/whats-on/faith-healer