Four world premieres included in the Lyric Theatre’s Spring – Autumn season

The Lyric Theatre today announced its Spring – Autumn 2016 season, entitled Vivid Faces: Eight plays exploring the nature of identity.  The plays, which will be performed between April and November, include the world premieres of three new works by local writers, a co-production with the Young Vic in London of Conor McPherson’s new play (also a world premiere), and plays to mark the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising and the Battle of the Somme.

The new season begins in April with Rosemary Jenkinson’s Here Comes the Night, a Lyric new writing commission starring Kerri Quinn who has recently been receiving rave reviews for her performance in Educating Rita.  Also in April is Tom Murphy’s docu-drama about the Easter Rising, The Patriot Game, which will be performed by emerging actors from the Lyric Drama Studio.

Stewart Parker’s Northern Star, produced by Rough Magic Theatre Company and directed by the playwright’s niece Lynne Parker, comes to the Lyric in May.  Based on the charismatic Belfast-born United Irishman Henry Joy McCracken, the play examines the reasons for the failure of the 1798 rebellion and its attempt to forge a new nation.

Smiley, Gary Mitchell’s new play and the second new writing commission of the season, has its world premiere at the Lyric in June.  Directed by Conall Morrison, the play is a witty comedy about football, cross-dressing and a paramilitary group well past its sell-by date.

In July, Frank McGuinness’ classic World War 1 play Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme will be performed at the Lyric for two weeks prior to a tour of Northern Ireland co-presented by the Lyric Theatre.  The play, a co-production between the Abbey Theatre, Headlong, Citizens Theatre and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, will be directed by Headlong’s Artistic Director Jeremy Herrin.

George Bernard Shaw’s take on the medieval tale of Joan of Arc, St. Joan, launches the Autumn programme, directed by the Lyric’s Executive Producer Jimmy Fay.  This new production is designed by Grace Smart, whose extraordinary contemporary designs for the play showcase Joan as a modern day freedom fighter in a powerful duel with the patriarchal figures of authority.  This design won her the prestigious Linbury Prize for emerging designers and marks her out as a theatrical designer to watch.  Shaw’s play resonates as clearly now as it did when he wrote it in 1923; a complex blend of idealism and cynicism.

The Nest – a new translation by Conor McPherson of Franz Xaver Koetz’s play – premieres at the Lyric in September.  A co-production between the Lyric and London’s Young Vic, this powerful fable about the moral and environmental cost of our materialistic nesting instincts is directed by the former Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre, Ian Rickson.

The season finishes with a third new writing commission, a modern resetting of Chekov’s Three Sisters by the award-winning novelist and playwright Lucy Caldwell.  Directed by Selina Cartmell, this new version of Three Sisters has its world premiere at the Lyric in October.

Executive Producer Jimmy Fay said, “In this centenary year of the Easter Rising and the Somme, it feels very appropriate to stage these eight plays which explore the complex and ever-changing nature of national, community, family and personal identity.  It’s particularly exciting to be hosting the world premiere of four plays, three of which are Lyric new writing commissions from local playwrights.  This is going to be a fascinating, absorbing and hugely entertaining year.”

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Vivid Faces: Eight plays exploring the nature of identity

For full details see www.lyrictheatre.co.uk/vividfaces

Here Comes the Night

23 April – 14 May 2016

Written by Rosemary Jenkinson

Directed by Jimmy Fay

Cast includes Kerri Quinn, Niall Cusack and Michael Condron

The Patriot Game

26 – 30 April 2016

Written by Tom Murphy

Directed by Philip Crawford

A Lyric Drama Studio Production

Northern Star

17 – 29 May 2016

Written by Stewart Parker

Directed by Lynne Parker

Cast: Richard Clements, Darragh Kelly, Paul Mallon, Charlotte McCurry, Eleanor Methven, Rory Nolan, Robbie O’Connor, Ali White

A Rough Magic Theatre Company production

Smiley

4 June – 2 July 2016

Written by Gary Mitchell

Directed by Conall Morrison

Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme

5 – 16 July 2016

Written by Frank McGuinness

Directed by Jeremy Herrin

An Abbey Theatre, Headlong, Citizens Theatre and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse co-production, co-presented by the Lyric Theatre

St. Joan

10 September – 8 October 2016

Written by George Bernard Shaw

Directed by Jimmy Fay

Designed by Grace Smart

The Nest

24 September – 22 October 2016

Written by Franz Xaver Kroetz

New translation by Conor McPherson

Directed by Ian Rickson

A co-production between the Lyric Theatre and Young Vic

Three Sisters

15 October – 19 November 2016

Written by Lucy Caldwell from the play by Anton Chekov

Directed by Selina Cartmell