City actor to star at BelfastFestival

LONDONDERRY actor Gary Crossan will be treading the boards at the Belfast Festival when Accidental Theatre, one of Northern Ireland’s most exciting and adventurous young theatre companies make their first appearance with a hilarious black comedy musical about death and intolerance by writer Dave Kinghan.

An irreverent, entertaining and brilliantly original play, DEATH (on a shoe string), was first presented to Belfast theatre goers by Accidental Theatre in the 2009 Pick ‘n’ Mix Festival, where they were the only production to sell out.

It will open at the Grand Opera House on October 24 for a five-night run, as part of the 50th Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queens.

Accidental Theatre have been well known to support the work of young emerging artists and this production is no different. Starring young actor Gary Crossan from Londonderry and other young talented emerging actors you can expect great energy and something new that will not disappoint.

Gary is just one example of the young casts promise. Recently graduated from Queen’s University Belfast, he has been awarded Best Supporting Actor at the Queen’s Student Theatre Awards.

The play is the work of stage and screenwriter Dave Kinghan, who graduated from Queen’s University in 2007 with a Masters in Creative Writing.

In 2008, his short film Happy as Larry was funded by Northern Ireland Screen and the UK Film Council through their Digital Shorts scheme. Dave went on to write for Joe & Jack, an animated preschool series broadcast on RTE in Ireland and sold worldwide.

Bizarre, outrageous and full of Dave Kinghan’s trademark black humour, DEATH (on a shoestring) follows the diabolical journey of Cecilia Malarkey MBE, head of a political correctness watchdog.

After her death, Cecilia, played by Róisín Magee, is accidentally allowed into Heaven, where she is disgusted by the lack of politically correct behaviour.

Outraged by the religious discrimination that would deny non-Christians entry into Paradise, Malarkey sets about overhauling the celestial values system.

But as it becomes more politically correct, Heaven seems decidedly less heavenly and soon angels and demons are working together to get the afterlife back in order and Cecilia out! With something for everyone, this is a show not to be missed.

DEATH (on a shoestring) will be at Baby Grand Theatre, Grand Opera House Belfast 23 - 27 October - 3 November. Tickets from £8.00 at www.goh.co.uk or by calling 028 9024 1919