Lurgan woman Amanda Verlaque’s new play in Belfast’s Lyric Theatre is deeply personal dealing with homophobic crime

‘This Sh*t Happens All The Time’ is a powerful play and semi-autobiographical relating to an incident when the Kilwilkie girl was an undergraduate at Queen’s University in Belfast.

Now aged 54, Amanda recalls leaving school aged 16 without sitting any exams. She returned to education at Lurgan Tech (as it was!) to resume her education.

Amanda said: “In 1990 I went to Queen’s where I studied Economic and Social History with a minor in Women’s Studies.

“I was tentatively coming out when I was the target of a homophobic hate crime. It was 1992 and this term didn’t exist back then, or the laws created to protect me, so there was no support to help me through this ordeal.

“The university was years away from offering specialised help and support and I was put through the emotional ringer until I decided that I wasn’t going to live in fear and that I had nothing to be ashamed of. It was an empowering moment for me when I embraced these truths.

“Our world is so different now. The LGBTQ+ community is well supported and our contribution to all walks of life is welcomed and appreciated - but – homophobia is still rife, all over the world. This is why I wrote the play, to use my experience as an example of what it used to be like and why, despite new equality laws, this sh*t is still happening.”

Amanda has always been an avid reader and credits her dad George for that.

“He took me to Lurgan Library from when I was a wee girl, a routine I continue to this day (only now my local library is in Belfast).

“I’ve always wanted to write but didn’t think I ever could. Imposter syndrome can be crippling, yet years working as an arts journalist and then with writers in TV drama, where I was a script editor, storyliner and producer, gradually convinced me that I could do it. I made a conscious decision to give up producing (well almost, I occasionally train teenagers in story development for TV) so that I could write every single day.

“That’s what I now do (lots of procrastinating and looking out of the window too) and I’m lucky enough to have had some commissions and the support of the Arts Council of NI. My debut play Distortion premiered at The MAC last year; a critically acclaimed, ground breaking hybrid production that was written and rehearsed as a stage play but shot like a film. The MAC were so supportive and I’m very fortunate to have another play following on so closely and at The Lyric too, which is a huge boost for me. This one of course is all about the theatre experience so I hope folk come along to Belfast to see it.”

Amanda still loves coming home to Lurgan. “Although I haven’t lived in Lurgan for over 30 years (Belfast – Glasgow – Dublin – Glasgow – Belfast) I still spend time here. Lurgan is my hometown and I love ‘going home’.

“It’s harder these days since my Mum Sadie passed at Christmas 2017. It breaks my heart going into the house I was born and raised in and she’s not there, but I appreciate hanging out with my brothers and sisters. We were all out together for Sunday lunch in Lurgan last weekend and days like that are so special. I love the craic we have because family is everything and mine have always been so supportive and proud of me and I love them all so much. The only sad note is that Mum and Dad aren’t around to see the play, although I’m sure they have the best seats in the house on a cloud somewhere.”

Amanda’s latest play is running from March 22 to April 2 in the Lyric Theatre and is produced in association with Imagine! Belfast Festival of Ideas and Politics,

‘This Sh*t Happens All The Time’ is a deeply personal autobiographical monologue about homophobic hate crime. A young woman (played by Caoimhe Farren) falls in love. Her girlfriend’s jealous ex-boyfriend responds with murderous intent. In 2022 he’d be arrested but in Belfast 1992 homophobic hate crime law doesn’t exist. It is a powerful new one-woman play directed by Rhiann Jeffrey, which uses personal experience to explore misogyny, coercive control, and queer-baiting to ask why the privileges and protections granted to most of society remain disgracefully out of reach for Northern Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community.

Jimmy Fay, Executive producer, Lyric Theatre said: “The Lyric’s mission is to create, entertain and inspire, we are committed to delivering quality theatre from exceptional artists and especially new writing. We are very proud to produce Amanda Verlaque’s This Shit Happens All The Time in association with Imagine! Belfast Festival. Directed by Rhiann Jeffrey and starring Caoimhe Farren, this courageous new play provides audiences with an emotional rollercoaster journey through a love story that challenges and confronts us with our own accountability in defending the vulnerable against the forces of hate.”

Peter O’Neill, Festival Director Imagine! Belfast Festival of Ideas & Politics, commented: “The Imagine! Belfast Festival is delighted to produce this exciting new production in conjunction with the Lyric. As a supporter of new writing, particularly on diversity issues, we hope that this play will highlight issues surrounding the widespread incidence of  LGBTQ+ bullying and abuse.  Our festival is all about challenging and entertaining our audiences on the big issues of our times and we are pleased to be able to support the dynamic talents of Amanda Verlaque, Rhiann Jeffrey and Caoimhe Farren in this gripping new play.”

Caoileann Curry-Thompson, Acting Head of Drama and Dance of ACNI, added: “Amanda Verlaque is an immense talent, whom the Arts Council of NI has been honoured to support in recent years; likewise Rhiann Jeffrey, a unique force in theatre directing. This Sh*t Happens All the Time is a highlight of Belfast theatre this season. The content and scope of the play is so important, drawing on the lived experience of getting on with life in NI as a gay person during the 1990s through to today. We all have much to learn from this work and by being confronted with the uncomfortable truths about our society – past and present – and our individual roles within it. I can’t wait for the show, and would encourage people to get along to see it.”

The Lyric Theatre is supported by Arts Council of Northern Ireland National Lottery funding and Belfast City Council.

This Sh*it Happens All the Time will be staged at Naughton Studio 22 Mar-2 Apr. Tickets start from £12. For details visit https://lyrictheatre.co.uk/whats-on/this-sh-t-happens-all-the-time. Follow the Lyric on Twitter and Instagram @LyricBelfast and Facebook @LyricTheatreBelfast.

For Lurgan Mail readers there will be tickets priced at £12 for the matinée performances this Saturday and Sunday, 26th and 27th March. Use code TSHATT12 when booking.

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