The Lyric Theatre is delighted to continue its 50th year celebrations with The Colleen Bawn, Dion Boucicault’s exuberant tale of desire, duty and betrayal, based on an infamous true crime. The Lyric Theatre and Bruiser Theatre Company are back together for the first time since The 39 Steps, for this madcap, melodramatic, musical co-production. Boucicault’s masterful interweaving of plot and character, comedy and suspense, has been captivating audiences since it premiere in 1860.
Executive Producer of the Lyric, Jimmy Fay, commented:
“Dion Boucicault’s The Colleen Bawn is a masterpiece of melodrama. It is as spritely and lovely as any ballad and has proved to be a timeless engaging entertainment captivating audiences in its outrageous plots and musical interludes since it first premiered in New York in 1860. We in the Lyric are delighted to again partner with Bruiser and their distinctive style on this wonderful play. Our first collaboration was the enormously successful The 39 Steps and the vibrancy of that production is also well suited to the exuberance of The Colleen Bawn. In fact, Dion Boucicault and this play in particular had a huge effect on the young Alfred Hitchcock when he saw it at the theatre in London in the 1920s. This year we mark the fiftieth anniversary since the Lyric opened its doors on Ridgeway street we plan a year of celebration, surprises and fun. I hope you continue with us on this incredible journey.”
Director and Bruiser Theatre Company's Lisa May commented:
"Bruiser are thrilled to be back at the Lyric with the melodious mayhem of The Colleen Bawn. This classic is filled with all the trademark shenanigans of a bashful Bruiser show, and is the perfect follow up to our 2016 collaboration with the Lyric, The 39 Steps. Audiences can expect the same type of madcap melodrama, as our mischievous and musical cast fill the stage with laughs, love, and live music. It’s been an absolute hoot to rehearse this timeless piece, and we’re sure audiences will enjoy the fast-paced fun as much as we do!"
Lorraine McDowell, Director of Operations, Arts Council of Northern Ireland said,
“The Arts Council is immensely proud to the Principal Funder of the Lyric Theatre. The Lyric Theatre is Northern Ireland’s only full-time producing theatre, is the largest employer of actors in the region and represents the cornerstone of producing theatre in Northern Ireland. The Lyric Theatre is fundamental to the drama sector in Northern Ireland and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland look forward with excitement to the 50th anniversary programme of celebration taking place throughout 2018.”
The Colleen Bawn runs from 7 – 28 April. For more info and to book, check out the event page here.
The Colleen Bawn is funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Belfast City Council.