BELFAST'S NEW £18 million (€20.2 million) Lyric Theatre reopens tonight with a gala performance of Arthur Miller's The Crucible.
Two weeks of special events until May 15th mark the opening of the landmark angular building on the banks of the Lagan in the south of the city.
The new building replaces the “old” Lyric, built on the same site in 1971 and is supported by some £6 million in donations with the remainder coming from Stormont, the Arts Council and Belfast City Council. Backing has come from Kenneth Branagh, Liam Neeson, Séamus Heaney, Brian Friel, Ciarán Hinds, Aidan Quinn and Meryl Streep.
The new theatre, three times the size of the old Lyric, can seat 389. It also has a smaller studio, a full-scale rehearsal area and a host of reception facilities.
The opening festival is hoping to attract established theatre-goers while reaching out to new audiences. In addition to the Miller classic, one of the largest productions staged by the Lyric, the next two weeks will see a series of readings of new works and established favourites by writers including Brian Friel, Owen McCafferty, John McCann, Lisa Tierney-Keogh and playwright-in-residence David Ireland.
Traditional music will tempt new patrons to the Lyric’s cafe bar which opens on Monday. The theatre promises “some of the world’s finest musicians” with free sessions and a folk concert.
Children and their parents are invited to register in free workshops in drama, prop-making, shadow play and dance while “story-trekker” sessions are planned for children over four.