I went along to see Maggie’s Menopause at the Grand Opera House and honestly, I haven’t laughed like that in a theatre in a long time.
Running from Monday 2 February to Saturday 7 February 2026, this show picks up straight after the huge success of Maggie – All Four Plays in One and throws Maggie head-first into menopause — hot sweats, emotional meltdowns, questionable decisions and all.
From the first few minutes, you know exactly what kind of night you’re in for. It’s loud, unapologetic, painfully relatable and completely fearless. The kind of comedy where the audience is laughing with recognition rather than just at the jokes.
A Night That Proved Comedy Really Is Universal
I went to the show with my mother, and this is the part that really stuck with me. English isn’t her first language — and yet she was laughing her head off the entire way through.
That tells you everything you need to know.
The physical comedy, the expressions, the timing, the situations — it all lands regardless of language. You don’t need to catch every word to understand exactly what Maggie is going through. It’s that well observed and that well performed.
Caroline Curran Is Outstanding
At the centre of it all is Caroline Curran, who absolutely owns the stage. She doesn’t just play Maggie — she is Maggie. Every eye roll, every pause, every explosive moment of frustration feels real and earned.
The writing by Leesa Harker is sharp, honest and refreshingly unfiltered. It doesn’t tiptoe around menopause or soften it for comfort — instead, it leans right into the chaos, and that’s exactly why it works.
Directed by Andrea Montgomery, the show moves at a great pace, never dragging, never feeling overworked. There’s a confidence to it — it knows the audience will come with it, and they do.
Big Laughs, But Plenty of Heart Too
Yes, it’s laugh-out-loud funny. Proper Belfast laughs. The kind where the whole theatre goes at once.
But there are also moments that quietly hit home. Beneath the jokes is a very real story about ageing, identity, relationships and that feeling of losing control over your own body while everyone expects you to just “get on with it”.
That balance — comedy with truth — is what makes the show more than just a good night out.
Final Thoughts
Maggie’s Menopause is bold, brilliant and completely unapologetic. It takes something still rarely talked about openly and puts it front and centre — with humour, warmth and a lot of leopard print.
If you’re going with friends, your mum, your sister, or anyone who’s ever lived with a woman going through “the change”, you’ll all find something painfully familiar to laugh at.
And if my mum — laughing nonstop, despite English not being her first language — is anything to go by, this is a show that genuinely connects with everyone.
A cracking night at the Grand Opera House Belfast, and one I’d happily recommend.
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