Classic MAC Large Print Brochure Autumn 2016 This is a snapshot of our Autumn programme and doesn’t include everything. For everything, visit themaclive.com. Booking is easy: Online at themaclive.com By phone on 028 9023 5053* In person at our box office *A £1 transaction fee applies to all phone bookings; this is not applicable to members of the Access Register contact us by phone or through our website. In our theatres: Women’s Hour: 8 – 9 September | 8pm | £17 - £12 Set in an alternative universe, Women’s Hour combines new writing and old dialogue from the BBC Radio show that offers a female perspective on the world (for one hour). A blend of satire, song and movement interrogating the media portrayal of women, this side-achingly funny show was best summed up by The Independent as ‘Bloody Marvellous’. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged): 13 – 22 September | 8pm | £17 - £12 A fast-paced and hilarious journey through Shakespeare’s playbook guaranteed to make you smile. Three actors, clad in tights, merge script and improvisation as they present Shakespeare’s entire back catalogue in record time. From Macbeth to as You Like It, Romeo and Juliet to the Comedy of Errors, this is one energetic and enjoyable show that will leave you breathless. Includes the world record for the shortest ever performance of Hamlet, clocking in at just 43 seconds. Prepare to be impressed. Jay Rayner the Ten (Food) Commandments: 15 September | 7:45pm | £25 - £12 Celebrated restaurant critic and Masterchef judge Jay Rayner comes to the MAC with his brand new show. Based on his book, The Ten (Food) Commandments is a tongue-in-cheek show about the most important foodie commandments to live by. Rules that thou must celebrate the stinkiest cheeses, and one should most definitely worship at the altar of leftovers. Perfect for food lovers, or those who would just enjoy a night of something completely different. Followed by a Q&A and book signing with Jay after the show. Make a night of it: Enjoy an exclusive three-course tasting menu at our in-house restaurant NATIVE by Yellow Door, matched with local craft beers for just £55 per person. Includes your ticket to the show. Jenny Éclair – How to be a Middle Aged Woman (Without Going Insane): 30 September | 7:45pm | £25 - £12 Following her sell-out UK tour, professional grumpy old woman, Splash survivor, amateur soup-maker and legendary comedienne Jenny Éclair extends her hit tour to the MAC. Semi–bearded and suffering from outbreaks of gout and hysteria, Eclair puts middle age under the microscope and decides whether to laugh, cry or buy a dachshund! You are warmly invited to join her, just button-up your cardi properly and wipe that lipstick off your teeth. A Great Arrangement: 22 – 24 September | 7:45pm | £25 - £12 This is the story of Michael Collins, Kitty Kiernan and the forging of a nation. It’s 1921. As the War of Independence plays out and Collins and the Irish delegation head to London to negotiate the Anglo- Irish Treaty, one of the great love stories of Irish history blossoms. Drawing on the legendary correspondence between Michael Collins and Kitty Kiernan, media reports from the time and, of course, Collin’s compelling speeches, A Great Arrangement is a vivid portrait of a unique couple at an extraordinary time. Underneath: 27 September | 7:45pm | £25 - £12 A blackly comic, rich and vivid tale of a life lived in secret. A testament to the people who live on the fringes, under the nose of everyday life. Winner of The Scotsman’s Fringe First award. Silent: 28 – 29 September | 7:45pm | £25- £12 Homeless McGoldrig once had splendid things, but has lost it all – including his mind. A brave, bold and beautiful production, Silent is the Olivier Award Winner (2016) that has had huge international success from LA to Melbourne, wowing audiences and critics alike. The Horne Section: 9 October | 7:45pm | £25 - £12 Following their hit BBC Radio 4 series and many years of sell- out shows at the Fringe Festival, we’re delighted to welcome The Horne Section to the MAC for the only Northern Ireland date of their UK tour. Led by the brilliant comedian Alex Horne (Taskmaster, Dave), you may recognise these ‘Dictionary Corner regulars from 8 out of 10 Does Countdown. The Horne Section was also the first band to ever host BBC’s Never Mind the Buzzcocks. This will be a highly entertaining night of spontaneous stand-up, spectacular performance and outlandish musical talent. Ulster Bank Belfast International Arts Festival: 11 – 29 October There are a few selected festival highlights happening at the MAC. For everything visit themaclive.com. Taylor Mac 25 – 26 & 29 Oct | 7:45pm | £16/£14 In an NI premiere, gifted Obie award-winning New Yorker Taylor MAC brings a series of special Festival concerts to the Mac. His astute take on music and culture spans the years before, during and after World War I. Except a fantastic live band and dazzling costumes. Run to the Rock a Mediation on Shakespeare: 20 – 22 October | 7:45pm | £12 - £10 A multi-media show created by critically acclaimed visual and performance artist Amanda Coogan, in collaboration with deaf communities in Northern Ireland and South Africa. This world premiere combines sign language, digital sound and live Instagram streaming to explore themes in Shakespeare’s text. 1932: The People of Gallagher Street: 13 November | 7:45pm | £25 - £12 In a new writing collaboration by Martin Lynch and Gary Mitchell, this is a remarkable story of Belfast in 1932 when colossal strike action rocked the city. The Outdoor Relief Strike brought 80, 000 impoverished but unified Catholics and Protestants onto the streets to demand better living conditions. The end result was victory for the people, but at a cost. Set in Belfast’s docks areas, 1932: The People of Gallagher Street follows the lives of Maisie and Rebecca, two young women whose futures become entwined and turned upside down by events. I’ll Tell My Ma: 18 Jan – 4 February | 7:45pm | £25 - £12 I’ll Tell My Ma is a hilarious one-woman show charting the adventures of four generations of one West Belfast family. Davina Corrina is a highly intelligent 16-year-old with a penchant for Russian Vodka. Her 30-something mother, Chelsea Marie, is on a mission to join the ’mile high’ club as an air stewardess while granny Patricia attempts to turn her personal tragedy into a best-selling novel. Finally, the family wouldn’t be complete without fiery matriarch, Great-Granny Eileen, who at the age of 80 is making the most of Facebook and of course, her free bus pass. Pony Panto: 14 – 23 December | 9pm | £17 - £12 2 shows on Saturdays at 7pm & 9:45pm You never quite know what you are going to get at our adults – only pony panto, but you know you’re going to get it! Pony panto returns from some festive cheer with Belfast’s best looking, worst dressed, most talented performers. Now a firm Christmas tradition, this irreverent mix has been a sell-out hit at the MAC for the past four years. If you’ve been before, we can say that you can expect a live band, humour, lots of star turns and of course, our lovable host Leoniepony. I Heart NYE: 31 December | £17 What better way to celebrate the year ahead than with some glitz and glam at the MAC and a good sing-song? That’s exactly what we’re doing at the MAC New Year’s Eve party. You can expect fizz, dancing until late, and live music in the foyer from our house band The Moonshines. We’ll also be transforming our Upstairs Theatre into a karaoke bar, so you can honour the year that saw the passing of some of music’s finest and party like it’s 1999 (or 2016). Pinocchio: 29 Nov – 1 Jan | £25 - £12 (adult) & £10 (child) Presented with our partners, the award-winning children’s theatre company Cahoots NI, Pinocchio promises to be an enchanting, magical show featuring all the characters you know and love. In this family musical you can expect live music, lots of magic and dazzling illusions, the likes of which you won’t believe! Remember, the closer you look, the less you see… So why not start a new family tradition and book tickets to the most magical Christmas show in town? This is an all-ages show, proudly sponsored by Phoenix Natural Gas. Access Shows: Signed and Audio Described | Tues 6 Dec & Sat 10 Dec Relaxed Performances: Sat 3 Dec & Sun 11 Dec | 2pm Matinees: Sat & Sun 2pm Evenings: 6pm Full show times available at themaclive.com In our galleries: David Hockney: I draw, I do: 19 Aug – 16 Oct | FREE An eagerly anticipated exhibition by David Hockney will open at the MAC this August. Hockney has worldwide recognition as a painter, printmaker, photographer and designer and this will be the first major presentation of his work on the island of Ireland. David Hockney: I Draw, I Do celebrates the artist’s love of drawing. It will feature some of Hockney’s earliest work including his famous ‘Paper Pool’ series, alongside more current artworks such as the iPad drawings. The MAC presents this exhibition in advance of the many celebrations that will happen next year to mark the artist’s 80th birthday. MAC International Ulster Bank Prize 2016: 28 Oct – 19 Feb 2017 | Free MAC International is the MAC’s biennial open arts competition, offering professional artists worldwide the opportunity to exhibit at the MAC.