Fantastic programme for Riverside

Here’s just a flavour of the same line-up.

DRAMA

There are return visits from London Classic Theatre Company, with Harold Pinter’s mind-bending thriller Betrayal. Belfast professional company Centre Stage marks the fact it’s now 50 years since the assassination of American President John F Kennedy, in its adult play Kennedy’s Children. Bruiser Theatre Company, NI’s premier exponents of physical theatre, will be performing Brecht’s masterpiece The Caucasian Chalk Circle. The McMaster Brothers will be presenting Willy Russell’s modern Classic, Blood Brothers.

There’s an intriguing show all about the life and career of fictitious British agent James Bond. Top Irish comedian Conal Gallen will be starring in his very own, two-act comedy farce entitled A Bit on The Side. There’s an adaptation of Dickens’s David Copperfield. London’s Icarus Theatre will be performing Shakespeare’s Othello and there are two productions in the style of drama/documentary: Jack The Ripper – A Twenty First Century Investigation and a new play from Derry/Londonderry entitled Crows on The Wire – which examines the transition of the RUC to the PSNI.

MUSIC

There’s a whole range of different music in the theatre during the autumn from Country & Western with Hugo Duncan, the fabulous Peter Corry, Divas Frances Black and Grainne Duffy, the fabulous Illegals, jazz from Rick Swann and his band, tributes to the Carpenters, ABBA and Van Morrison, Coleraine Fret King Damien O’Kane, the amazing Christmas Crooners, a tribute to Edith Piaf, Dominic Kirwan and local singer and recording artiste Maggie Ferris. Not forgetting Coleraine’s own, favourite tribute band Credence Clearwater Revived.

COMEDY

It’s an autumn season packed with comedy, including visits by William Caulfield, standup comedy from Father Ted’s Michael Raymond, Jake O’Kane, Colin Murphy, and solicitor-turned-comedian Tim McGarry.

DANCE

There’s ballet from Ireland’s national ballet ensemble with Carmen and Britain’s Ballet Theatre UK with Nutcracker. Irish Dance troupes led by Dominic Graham and, as a new addition to the line-up, the Innova Irish Dance Company.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Riverside is hosting a number of prestigious conferences during the autumn and, as well as this, will be presenting a special Literary Evening devised by Professor Tony Bareham, Emeritus Professor of English, University of Ulster. This show is entitled Chasing The Cheerless Gloom – and is a literary examination of how Winter has been portrayed by some of our greatest writers in the English Language. Tony Bareham has directed dozens of shows in Riverside during the last thirty years, including Shakespeare’s Hamlet, The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth (twice) and The Merchant of Venice - along with Webster’s Duchess of Maalfi, Edward Albee’s Zoo Story and two of Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads. He also premiered local author Des Cranston’s play Personal Space in the theatre, in one of Riverside’s lunchtime drama presentations.

SHOWS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

There are two productions especially geared for the younger, primary-school audiences: Hairy Maclary and Friends and the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Show.

COMMUNITY PRODUCTIONS

A brand new group from Coleraine, the Highfield Players, will be performing Brian Friel’s classic Dancing at Lughnasa in early October. The talented Lifford Players will also be featured for the first time in an autumn season with top Irish dramatist Bernard Farrell’s play Happy Birthday Dear Alice. And Ballywillan Drama Group will be presenting its annual musical blockbuster in Riverside later in the season – this time Lloyd Webber’s popular Jesus Christ Superstar.

2013 CHRISTMAS PRODUCTION

With tickets less than ten pounds for both adults and even bigger reductions for children and school parties, this year’s Riverside Christmas Show Dick Whittington, is sure to be a winner with audiences and is simply the best value around.

All the shows mentioned above are currently available for sale either online, via www.riversidetheatre.org.uk or in person from the Theatre’s staffed booking office. The staffed booking office hours are published daily on Riverside’s website.