The Belfast Ensemble to Present Musical Comedy GROUP! at the Lyric Theatre
The Belfast Ensemble has a team of almost 40 local people working on GROUP! - a feat almost unheard of in the local arts sector today.
The award-winning Belfast Ensemble is gearing up to perform GROUP! at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast from 24 March to 4 April. The outrageous musical comedy, created by Conor Mitchell and Matthew Hurt, has performed in New York, Philadelphia, Australia and London, but will now return to the Lyric for the first time since 2002 as part of the theatre's 75th anniversary celebrations.
The two-act musical comedy is a rapturous audience experience likened to The Book of Mormon and Avenue Q, with its intensely funny, sharp script, Broadway-like big numbers, and unforgettable score which won "Best Score" at the New York Musical Awards in 2006.
GROUP! is set in a typical Belfast community centre. Despite the relatively uninspiring backdrop, the plot follows eccentric individuals attending a weekly therapy session with each confessing their funniest, scariest, darkest and most embarrassing moments. It delves into familiar yet uncomfortable themes in a way that only Belfast humour can.
Jean is a volatile, untrusting woman attending on the advice of her GP after a violent public outburst, whilst Frank, a taxi driver, tries to deal with his divorce and PTSD through unconventional tactics. Chris, an unemployed incel with obsessive tendencies is planning a grand public gesture because he is suffering from the unrequited love of a certain local celebrity. The group dynamics are disrupted by the introduction of a new member, Amy, the friend and IVF nurse of Jackie - a heavily pregnant, outspoken professional unhappy in her marriage. Emmet, the incompetent group counsellor struggles to keep things on track, while Babs, the unfiltered oldest member of the group throws curveballs with inappropriate jokes destined to keep audiences on their toes.
Originally written and performed in 2002, with such a small budget that seven chairs had to be borrowed from a local Belfast bar, GROUP! has stood the test of time and evolved into a unique production that Belfast, and Northern Ireland, can be proud of.
Co-writer and director Conor is also the founder of the Belfast Ensemble and is celebrated locally and internationally for his ability to craft vivid "total theatre". He blends difficult themes such as queer identity and current affairs with theatrical innovation, ensuring his works resonate on multiple levels.
With support from Arts Council NI, the Belfast Ensemble has a team of almost 40 local people working on GROUP! - a feat almost unheard of in the local arts sector today.
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