Belfast's Lyric Theatre at 75: Anniversary Programme and Exhibition

Belfast's Lyric Theatre, founded in 1951 by Mary O'Malley, celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2026 with a programme curated by artistic director Jimmy Fay. Highlights include a revival of Christina Reid's 1983 play 'Tea in a China Cup' (directed by Dan Gordon, starring Marie Jones, running in May), and an anniversary exhibition 'A House of Play' curated by Kim Mawhinney featuring works by Jack B Yeats, Louis Le Brocquy, Basil Blackshaw, Colin Davidson, and Neil Shawcross. The exhibition also covers the literary journal 'Threshold' (1957-1990), founded by O'Malley, with contributions from Seamus Heaney, John Montague, and Seamus Deane. Fay is editing a new anniversary issue of Threshold for August, aiming to revive it annually. The theatre's history includes a 50-seat studio above O'Malley's stables (1951), a move to a 300-seat venue on Ridgeway Street (1968), and a new building by O'Donnell + Tuomey (2011) after an £18m campaign supported by patron Liam Neeson. Recent successes include Owen McCafferty's 'Agreement' about the Good Friday agreement. Upcoming productions include Brian Friel's 'Faith Healer' starring Conleth Hill, Paul Muldoon's version of Aristophanes' 'The Frogs' with music by Stew (opening at New York's Public Theatre), a new play by Clare Dwyer Hogg, McCafferty's adaptation of 'Crime and Punishment', and Oisín Kearney's adaptation of 'The Táin'. Conor Mitchell's 'Abomination: A DUP Opera' is also highlighted.