10 JUNE – 8 JULY 2017 BY GRAHAM LINEHAN

Featuring Cheryl Fergison as One Round Directed by Jimmy Fay PRE-THEATRE SPRING/SUMMER AT THE LYRIC

WEEKEND DINING HERE WE LIE 22 JUNE – 2 JULY AT THE LYRIC Sharon was going to tell the truth … eventually, but when the lie fuelled the village gossip and morphed into an alternative fact, a catastrophic sequence of events was set in motion. Rawlife Theatre have teamed up with writer Patrick J. O’Reilly to bring you a dark and physical comedy that takes an unconventional look into our post-truth world of fake news and alternative facts with hilarious and terrifying results.

SUNDAY SERVICE WITH GRIMES & MCKEE 25 JUNE

If you used to like going to church but were put of by all the stuff about God, then Grimes & McKee’s Sunday Service is the night for you. Topical sketches, songs, stand-up and improv, led by the Revds Conor Grimes and Alan McKee. If it’s in the news it will be on the stage, with sketches being written and (barely) rehearsed right until curtain up. Get your Sunday best on and let Grimes & McKee give you a good service.

GULLIVER’S TRAVELS 28 – 30 JULY

This summer, voyage to unknown lands and lose yourself in a world of mythical creatures as Jonathan Swift’s classic satire is brought to life on stage. A spectacular musical adaptation from platinum- selling singer-songwriter Duke Special, comedian Andrew Doyle and the team behind the West End smash hit Once The Musical. YMT’s hugely successful Gulliver’s Travels returns to Lyric Theatre this July. Step aboard, the adventure awaits…

THE GRUFFALO 2 – 6 AUG

Join Mouse on a daring adventure through the deep, dark wood in Tall Stories’ magical, musical adaptation of the classic picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Songs, laughs and scary fun for children aged 3 and up and their grown-ups, in the much-loved show that’s toured Britain and the world!

THE HOLY HOLY BUS 10 – 20 AUG 2 courses £24.00 There is a bus that leaves a West Belfast parish once a year to see the holy sites of Ireland… the locals refer to it as, The Holy Holy Bus! 3 courses £27.50 Join four of the female faithful on a journey of personal pilgrimage, which by the time they have returned home, will have changed their lives forever. A hilariously madcap adventure about love, hope, happiness Enjoy a delicious 2 or 3 course and faith, The Holy, Holy Bus will have you laughing, crying pre-theatre meal in the beautiful and praying for divine inspiration along the journey! surroundings of the Abbey Bond Lovis Suite every Friday & Saturday night. MY MOUNTAIN LIFE BY SIMON YATES 10 SEPT

On the remote Siula Grande in Peru in June 1985, mountaineer Simon Yates found himself slowly being dragged off the mountain face by his injured partner, who was dangling on the rope 50 metres below. His decision to Booking essential - See www.lyrictheatre.co.uk cut the rope saved both their lives and was the inspiration for the BAFTA or call the box office on028 9038 1081 for details award winning, Touching the Void. Join Simon as he shares his stories of adventure, with dry humour and a stunning collection of imagery.

3 LYRICTHEATRE DIRECTOR’S NOTES

“HOW MANY STORIES COME TO WRITERS FULLY FORMED IN DREAMS? THE CANADIAN WRITER WILLIAM ROSE WAS HAVING HIS BREAKFAST WHEN HIS WIFE TOLD HIM THE DREAM SHE SAID HE TOLD HER THE NIGHT BEFORE”

How many stories come to writers fully formed in The Boston born, but Glaswegian raised, Alexander younger generation. Louis is the dangerously be the pinnacle in any major writer’s career. Linehan dreams? The Canadian writer William Rose was MacKendrick was the third and perhaps most unassimilated foreigner. They are a composite has a whole cabinet of delights and being relatively having his breakfast when his wife told him the significant teller of the tale. He directed The cartoon of Britain's corruption. The tiny figure of young he's a safe bet there's more to come. Linehan's dream she said he told her the night before. His Ladykillers for Ealing Studios and, having for Mrs Wilberforce (Wilberforce was the name of the version has been a huge hit on the West End and has dream of a little old lady and a few bank robbers some reason fallen out with Bill Rose, had to 19th-century idealist who called for the abolition taken everyone by surprise by just how good it is. who came to stay. He stared incredulously at put it together from the notes of the dream. He of slavery) is plainly a much diminished Britannia. his wife, open mouthed, as egg dripped from his fashioned a film, that in its saturated primary Her house is in a cul-de-sac...structurally unsound. We decided to produce The Ladykillers because the fork. Did he really dream the dream or did Mrs colours, was as hallucinogenic as you'd get in Dwarfed by the grim landscape of railway yards and script is so good, and because we are the Lyric, we Rose tell him the dream? So in the very instant the grime and smog of post-war in the screaming express trains, it is Edwardian England, knew we had to do it with a twist. We were inspired of the telling the tale already had two tellers early fifties. The extraordinary cast included the an anachronism in the contemporary world." to cast it as all-female for many reasons - that this and would gain more as time moved on. Ealing ubiquitous, and typically brilliant, Alec play, that plays with the very idea of identity, seemed Guinness and a fresh Peter Sellers then a radio The Ladykillers was probably the zenith of what to gain something rather than lose something The LadyKillers would be produced by the dynamic sensation because of the anarchic The Goon Ealing Studios would achieve. A sort of Sgt when read by an all-female cast; that comedy can, independent British film company, Ealing Studios. Show which was currently cracking open the Pepper of a film. It would be the company's final in some quarters, still seem like a mostly male Ealing Studios produced some of the most iconic imagination of the youth of the nation, including triumph. The film is rightly heralded as one of provision and it is nice to challenge that assumption; and beloved films of the 40s & 50s. It's perhaps an impressionable teen named John Lennon. the greatest British films of the 20th Century and that, actually, the quality of the script and the ironic, given how we view this period of popular was often shown on TV, usually in the afternoon. logic of the dream, would welcome another level entertainment through rose-tinted nostalgia, how MacKendrick, in a revealing interview, explained Its subversive dark humour and deep black of performance to the telling of this tale. We are many of these films dealt in subversion, murder the thinking behind The Ladykillers. "The fable of comedy a delight to children and senior citizens. the first theatre company anywhere to produce an and crime. Hue and Cry about bent coppers and The Ladykillers is a comic and ironic joke about all-female version of The Ladykillers. I hope you are teenage detectives; Kind Hearts and Cornets about the condition of post-war England. ... the Empire Some years ago the Coen brothers remade it happy with what you see. It's been an extraordinary snobbery and murder and one of was gone forever. British society was shattered with Tom Hanks setting it in the Deep South of privilege working with these brilliant actors on this greatest performances (he plays seven doomed ... an impoverished and disillusioned upper class, America. I haven't seen it so can't comment on it. play. I look forward to hearing your feedback. siblings); The Lavender Hill Mob more robbery, a brutalised working class, juvenile delinquency this time by ordinary decent citizens and with the among the Mods and Rockers, an influx of foreign Enter the fifth (or is it sixth, even seventh, it's hard to chameleon Guinness at the helm; The Man in the and potentially criminal elements, and a collapse keep up?) teller of this dream tale of The Ladykillers, Jimmy Fay White Suit one of the best explanations of why cost of 'intellectual' leadership. All of these threatened Dubliner Graham Linehan (it's somewhat ironic that June 2017 saving innovations will always frighten the bosses, the stability of the national character. ... look at none of the tellers of this quintessential English again starring Guinness in a luminous suit; Whiskey the characters in the film. The Major, a conman, is tale is, actually, English). In a time of great comic Galore about a whole Scottish island on the take a caricature of the decadent military ruling class. writers Graham Linehan is probably the greatest after a vessel full of whiskey shipwrecks on her One Round is the oafish representative of the comic writer of his generation. , Black shores but, interestingly, no Guinness this time. British masses. Harry is the spiv, the worthless Books, The IT Crowd. Any one of these shows would

4 LYRICTHEATRE #THELADYKILLERS 5 LYRICTHEATRE NOTE FROM THE WRITER – GRAHAM LINEHAN IN THE REHEARSAL ROOM

The story of The Ladykillers came to screenwriter William Rose in a dream. Four criminals planning a “FROM THE MOMENT robbery hole up in an old lady’s house, deciding to kill her when she discovers their secret. Unable to do the deed, however, some of them end up killing THE IDEA WAS each other, and all of them end up dead. Rose woke his wife, Tania, gabbled the story to her – and PITCHED TO ME, immediately fell asleep again. She, thankfully for him and all of us, flew from their bed and typed the whole thing out before it had a chance to go cold. The next I KNEW IT WAS morning, she told the story to her husband, and he listened amazed, as if hearing it for the first time. A PROJECT Fittingly, the classic 1955 film has a dreamlike, flowing quality, but with a robust logic that I WANTED TO DO” provided a safety net as I adapted it for the theatre. Anything was permissible, it seemed to me, so long as there was an innocent little old lady – the In fact, it could be argued that the Coens’ Ladykillers, imaginative, immovable Mrs Wilberforce – a corrupt although a worse movie, is the better adaptation of gang, their visionary leader, and five deaths. the two (and I’m only being semi-perverse here). Having dispensed with the tone, location and period There were some other rules, of course: Mrs of the Ealing original, there is then plenty of room Wilberforce’s final line had to be as satisfying as for them to apply their imaginations and their the original film’s. “Oh,” she says on having her personalities. In adapting – often but not always – brolly returned to her for the umpteenth time. you must first plant dynamite around the ground “Oh no, I don’t think I want it. I never liked it. Now floor of the original. After the detonation, you keep I can buy a dozen new ones.” The bodies had to what’s still standing and bid farewell to the rest. disappear without a trace; and all the events had to happen within the house. Furthermore, my I wish the dynamite principle was applied more adaptation could never contradict what Rose saw often to PG Wodehouse adaptations. Transcribe as the film’s moral: “In the worst of men, there the events of a Wodehouse novel to the screen in is a little bit of good that can destroy them.” a straightforward fashion, and you’ll leave people wondering what the fuss is all about. You need That’s not to say there weren’t problems. For new scenes and new characters – and new plot a while, I got stuck on the question of what twists for those new characters. Lose all that prose exactly could connect the men’s deaths, given without providing a cinematic replacement, and that some of them die accidentally and some you might as well train the camera on a paperback are murdered by their companions. In the Coen lying on the floor. Something, in other words, brothers’ 2004 remake, there is a suggestion needs to fit in that Wodehouse-shaped hole. that the late Mr Wilberforce is looking out for his wife from beyond the grave – but I hated that, as We’ve been accused of sacrilege, of displaying it weakened Mrs Wilberforce as a character.\ a certain amount of brass neck in reworking something so revered as The Ladykillers. But to In the end, the answer was provided, as would be honest, neck never really came into it. From occasionally be the case, by going back to the the moment the idea was pitched to me, I knew it 1955 film and Rose’s notion of the “little bit of was a project I wanted to do. It would have taken good in them”. None of them are good men; in neck not to do it. To borrow a phrase also useful in fact, they are “the very worst”. But even so, faced poker: “Opportunity knocks, but it doesn’t pester.” with killing a little old lady, that tiny remnant of good within them brings about their doom. If the dynamite did more damage than was expected, I hope Rose and his wife would understand. At these times, when I felt that Rose was taking the I believe their film is still there – both in the wheel back, it struck me that an adaptation is partly sense that its spirit haunts our version, and in a collaboration. You are working with the (sometimes the fact that, regardless of this or any future long-gone) author to give the best account you reworking, their original will for ever rank as can of the source material. Often, remaining what one of Britain’s great cinematic achievements. some call “faithful” to the source is the worst way to achieve this. I always thought it odd that the Courtesy of Graham Linehan and Independent Talent. Coens received the best adapted Oscar for 2007’s No Country for Old Men, given that they © Guardian News & Media Ltd 2017 straightforwardly transcribed the events of Cormac McCarthy’s book into the script – even down to the terrible, confusing off-screen death of the hero.

6 LYRICTHEATRE #THELADYKILLERS 7 LYRICTHEATRE NOTES FROM THE COSTUME DESIGNER

Being a keen reader and researcher I spent a lot of time trawling through books and the internet for that one little hook that would flick the switch on the designs for The Ladykillers. Sometimes all it takes is to see two colours side by side that you didn’t consider before, or an old photo from the 1800s and you’re off. It was waist deep in Pinterest that I discovered turn-of-the-century Drag Kings! Photos from the time show women dressed in exact copies of men’s suits, uniforms and workwear. We will never fully understand how liberating it must have felt, being released from the practical difficulties of corsets and full skirts! I wanted to recreate the Drag Kings attention to detail and fit for The Ladykillers, it had to be done with the same integrity. If we could achieve that standard then the comedy would not be in women wearing mens’ clothes, but in the performance itself. The costumes would be the visual expression of character and not a cheap gag.

The fifties era was an interesting period to use as inspiration for The Ladykillers costume design. With London still reeling from two world wars and clothing being expensive and therefore well maintained by it’s wearer, it was not unusual to see styles from previous decades reworked and proudly worn again and again. This is why in one scene you will see a zoot suit from the forties alongside a Teddy Boy jacket and an Art Nouveau print. Waste not, want not! Mrs Wilberforce’s costumes were a product of blending the decades. You will see her wear an elegant 1930s dress with an early 1900’s ‘Arts and Crafts’ movement pattern. I designed a pattern reminiscent of that movement because I felt she would have been drawn to something which was nostalgic and would remind her of her youth, “all that time ago in Pangbourne”. It’s a real joy to add symbolic touches to costumes, even if they are only recognised by you and the actor - it’s another ring in the trunk of the character.

Bringing these costumes to life has been an incredible gift mainly because of the expertise of the team who has taken my pile of paper scribblings and stitched, dyed and even occasionally glued them into existence. I hope this show opens eyes into the craftsmanship of costumes so often overlooked. Costume is such rich and fascinating element of theatre, but maybe I’m biased…

Erin Charteris Costume Designer

8 LYRICTHEATRE #THELADYKILLERS 9 LYRICTHEATRE CREDITS 10 JUNE – 8 JULY 2017

CAST (IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE) CONSTABLE MACDONALD / AMY JOLLY NUALA McKEEVER THE LADYKILLERS MRS WILBERFORCE STELLA McCUSKER PROFESSOR MARCUS ABIGAIL McGIBBON BY GRAHAM LINEHAN MAJOR COURTNEY JO DONNELLY HARRY ROBINSON JULIE MAXWELL FROM THE MOTION PICTURE SCREENPLAY BY WILLIAM ROSE, BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH ONE ROUND CHERYL FERGISON STUDIOCANAL, BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH FIERY ANGEL LTD, LONDON LOUIS HARVEY MARIA CONNOLLY PRESENTED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD MRS TROMLEYTON / UNDERSTUDY CHRISTINA NELSON ELSPETH DUDGEON LOUISE BRYANS Directed by Jimmy Fay CREATIVE TEAM

WRITER GRAHAM LINEHAN DIRECTOR JIMMY FAY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MATTHEW CAVAN SET DESIGNER STUART MARSHALL COSTUME DESIGNER ERIN CHARTERIS COMPOSER & SOUND DESIGNER CONOR MITCHELL LIGHTING DESIGNER ZIA BERGIN-HOLLY FIGHT DIRECTOR ALISON DE BURGH MOVEMENT DIRECTOR JENNIFER ROONEY VOCAL COACH BRENDAN GUNN

PRODUCTION TEAM

PRODUCTION MANAGER ALAN McCRACKEN TECHNICAL MANAGER KEITH GINTY TECHNICIANS DAMIAN COX TIGHEARNAN O’NEILL IAN VENNARD CONAL CLAPPER CASTING CLARE GAULT COMPANY STAGE MANAGER KATE MILLER DEPUTY STAGE MANAGER TRACEY LINDSAY ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER LOUISE BRYANS WARDROBE SUPERVISOR ENDA KENNY COSTUME MAKERS MELANIE CARMICHAEL GILLIAN LENNOX LILLI KLOOSTERZIEL & MAKE-UP ORLAITH WALSH SET CONSTRUCTION NOEL WOODS MARK McPHILIPS SCENIC ARTISTS STUART MARSHALL SUSANNAH WILSON ANNA DONOVAN

THE LYRIC THEATRE WOULD LIKE TO THANK METHODIST COLLEGE BELFAST, DEBBIE DUFF

THERE WILL BE AN INTERVAL OF 20 MINS AFTER ACT 1

#THELADYKILLERS

10 LYRICTHEATRE #THELADYKILLERS 11 LYRICTHEATRE CAST

Maria Connolly Jo Donnelly Cheryl Fergison Julie Maxwell Stella McCusker Louis Harvey Major Courtney One Round Harry Robinson Mrs Wilberforce

Maria is from Belfast and trained at Jo graduated from RADA. Her Cheryl hails from London and trained Cheryl has made Celebrity Julie Maxwell is an actress and Stella made her professional debut The Royal Central School of Speech past Lyric shows include, Smiley, at the Rose Bruford College on the appearances on: Celebrity writer born and bred in North at the Lyric playing Kate Hardcastle & Drama in London from ‘91-‘94 Sleeping Beauty, Demented, Forget Community Theatre Arts course. Mastermind & Celebrity Pointless, Belfast, she currently lives in south in She Stoops to Conquer. A long where she received the Kenneth Turkey and The Long Road. Her other Famous, Rich & Hungry, Your Face Belfast. Julie obtained a BA Hons association with this theatre saw Brannagh Renaissance Award. theatre credits include The Habsburg Theatre Credits Include: Man of the Sounds Familiar (first episode Degree from the University of her appear in many productions Tragedies (Belfast Ensemble), Moment (Gielgud Theatre, directed winner), (Harry Hill Ulster in 2004 before attending the including A Streetcar Named Desire, Theatre credits: Lyric Theatre, Forget Ardnaglass on the Air (c21), Pinocchio by ), Measure for A-ha spoof), The Paul O’grady Show, Royal Welsh college of music and Glass Menagerie, Ghosts (which also Turkey, Howl, John Bull’s Other Island, (Cahoots NI), Rumplestiltskin (The Measure and The Blue Angel (Royal Lets Dance for Sports Relief, The Hairy Drama in Cardiff. Julie’s previous played at the National Theatre, Oslo); , Kabosh, Anna and I, Mabel, Mac), Mabel, This Is What We Sang, Shakespeare Company), Dance of Bikers Cook Off, Barbara Windsor’s Lyric shows include Joseph and his Pygmies in the Ruins (also played Collecting Cultures, No News Is Good (Kabosh) Playhouse Creatures, Death (), Robert Comedy Roast, Strictly Come Dancing Technicoloured Dream Coat, Be My at the Royal Court, London); Uncle News, West Awakes, Inventors. CS Cooking with Elvis (Bruiser), Baby It's Lindsay’s production of Cyrano De – It Takes Two, Celebrity Big Brother, Baby, The Miser, and Vanya, Philadelphia, Here I Come and Lewis Festival, White Witch. Green Cold Outside and Chronicles of Long Bergerac (Haymarket Theatre), a Loose Women, John Bishops Only Three Sisters The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Irish Shoot Productions, Two Sore Legs, Kesh (GBL). Season at London’s open Joking & Celebrity Juice amongst Times Best Actress Award). She last Meeting at Menin Gate, GBL, History of air venue The Scoop, appearances in many others. Julie has been lucky enough to work appeared at the Lyric in Brassneck the Peace, Dancing Shoes. Tinderbox, Jo is overjoyed to be performing in Chicago and The Wind in the Willow’s, with most theatre companies in Theatre Company’s The Holy Holy All Through the House, Lally the this all female cast production of The a National Tour of Menopause - She is a skilled musician and multi her work includes Bus and Belfast Ensemble’s The Scut, Language Roulette, Convictions, Ladykillers! The Musical, topping in a instrumentalist as well as being an bebo and Diablo (Edinburgh Fringe) Habsburg Tragedies as Juana, This Other City. Centre Stage, That number of Pantomimes including accomplished singer /song writer. Flesh Dense, Tracy Plot ,Cleaners Queen of Castille. Work at other Woman At Rathard. Prime Cut, Cinderella (Evolution Productions), Cheryl is thrilled to be appearing in (OMAC) Hostel (Grand Opera House) theatres includes – A Midsummer Scenes From the Big Picture, Problem Jack & The Beanstalk & Beauty and The Ladykillers at the Lyric Theatre Love, New Kid (Replay NI Tour) Night’s Dream, Three Sisters, Portia Child (nominated Best Actress for the Beast (both for Paul Holman Belfast and would like to thank her Lanciatore (Belfast Circus School) Coughlan, The Mai and Communion Irish Times Theatre Award 2000), Associates), Cinderella (Extravaganza family and friends and her amazing Poor Cousin () (, ). She has Criminal Genius, Shopping and F**’ing. Productions), Beauty and the Agents HCA; for their devotion, Widows (Sherman Theatre) Case appeared on Broadway in the Gate Dubbeljoint, The Official Version. Beast (Jordan Productions) and 2 encouragement & never failing of the frightened lady, Goverment Theatre’s production of Juno and the Royal Scottish Academy, Arden of seasons of The Wizard of Oz (Regal support. Inspector, Oh what a lovely war Paycock, and spent two years with Faversham (nominated for Irish Enterainments Ltd.). (Bruiser NI Tour) Slimmer for the Royal Shakespeare Company in Times /ESB Best Actress Award), Christmas, My Big Fat Belfast Roberto Zucco, and Riders to the Sea. Theatre Company, Hey Hey Good TV, Film and Radio Include: Big Christmas (Theatre at the Mill) Looking. Derry Playhouse, Energy. School opposite , Mydidae (The Mac) The Good Room Film credits include: Five Minutes , The Pearl. , , The Life and (Culturlan), Last Orders at the Rough of Heaven, Whatever Love Means, New Vic, . Times of Vivienne Vyle, Casualty, Little Diamond (theatre at the mill) Standby, The Playboys, and Bad Day Notting Hill, Silverface. Embassy Miss Jocelyn, Allo Allo, Middlemarch, Julie appeared in BBC NI comedy for the Cut (recently shown to great Theatre, War of the Roses and Yerma. Cold Enough for Snow and Eskimo sketch show Sketchy series 1 & 2. acclaim at the Sundance Festival). Day (all for the BBC), Derren Litten Forthcoming films include Fantastic Film credits: Our Robot Overlords, of fame’s The Spa (Tiger Julie received the Kenneth Brannagh Muse, Arthur and Claire, and Cellar Faraway, Mickybo and Me, On Aspect), Bad Girls (Shed Productions), Renaissance Award 2004 and Door. Dangerous Ground, Cycle of Violence. The IT Crowd (Talkback/), recently the Arts Council of Northern Television Credits: Line of Duty and of course the much loved, long Ireland Individual Artist Award 2016 TV credits include: Jack Taylor, Pure (Series 2), Betrayal of Trust, Maru, running character of Heather Trott in Mule, Six Degrees, On Home Ground, Ainsprid, A Rap At the Door, Survivors, Eastenders. Her Film credits include Julie has just finished writing her Lovejoy, Dear Sarah (Jacobs Award Out of the Deep Pan, Made In Heaven. White Island (Fulwell 73 Productions) fourth play The Nightshift before for Best Actress), Trivia, Amber and Writing Credits: Anna and I, Mabel and Irvine Welsh’s Atlantic. Radio Christmas going into production at . for Kabosh. White Witch, CS Lewis includes Words & Music (BBC Radio 3). Theatre at the MIll Christmas 2017. Festival Belfast, Bruised, Massive for Tinderbox, All Fall Down for Replay, We Got Tonight for BBC Radio 4.

12 LYRICTHEATRE #THELADYKILLERS 13 LYRICTHEATRE CAST CREATIVE TEAM

Graham Linehan Jimmy Fay Matthew Cavan Writer Director Assistant Director

Graham Linehan is an Irish comedy Jimmy is the Executive Producer Matthew Cavan is an actor and writer and director, as well as actor of the Lyric Theatre, Belfast, where cabaret performer from Belfast. and comedian, and creator of highly he has directed productions of St. His love of musical theatre drove popular series’ Father Ted, The IT Joan by Bernard Shaw, Here Comes his passion at a young age to start Crowd and . After an the Night, by Rosemary Jenkinson, a career in the theatre, not only on early career as a journalist for the Pentecost, by , Mixed stage but also behind the scenes. Irish music magazine , Marriage by St John Ervine and True Graham began collaborating with West by . Professional credits include: writer on many Cinderella and Mother Goose in the high profile comedy sketch shows He has been an Associate Artist Grand Opera House Belfast (Acting including Alas Smith and Jones, Harry of the Abbey Theatre, having also ASM) He Played Jason in Bison with Enfield and Chums, and the Ted and spent time there as Staff Director, Threatreofpluck Belfast and London Ralph characters in . Associate Director and Literary productions. Matthew then created It was Linehan and Matthews’ Director. Directing work at the Abbey his own alter ego Miss Cherrie Abigail McGibbon Nuala McKeever Christina Nelson creation of Father Ted in 1995 that includes the acclaimed production Ontop, Belfast’s very own Queen Professor Marcus Constable Macdonald Mrs Tromleyton brought the greatest success of of Owen McCafferty’s Quietly of Cabaret and is resident in the their early years. The programme (also toured to Edinburgh Festival Cabaret Supperclub and Maverick Abigail, from Belfast, trained at The Nuala was born in and lives in Christina Nelson is a highly acclaimed won countless awards, including Fringe 2013 and the Irish Rep, New bar. Wanting to get back into the Gaiety School of Acting, Dublin. At Belfast. Theatre credits include: local Actress, Director, Writer and two BAFTAs for best comedy, York 2016), The Risen People, The theatre he was offered the role the Lyric Theatre she has appeared To Be Sure (Lyric Theatre) In The Workshop facilitator, with over and is regarded as one of Government Inspector, Curse of the of Assistant Director with Belfast in St. Joan, Can’t Forget About You Window (Lyric, Kansas City, Mumbai, 25 years’ experience. She trained the greatest British ever Starving Class, Macbeth, The Playboy Ensemble for their most recent (Tron Theatre), The Glass Menagerie, Edinburgh, NI Tour) at Rupert Stanley College. With a produced. of the Western World, Ages of the production The Habsburg Tragedies in Macbeth (Prime Cut Productions), background in circus, Christina Moon, The Resistable Rise of Arturo the Naughton Studio. Matthew wants How I Learned to Drive, A Whistle Sweeney Todd (Theatre At The Mill) debuted in the Lyric Theatre as Annie Linehan has since written for other Ui, The Seafarer, Saved, The School to thank Jimmy and team in the Lyric In the Dark, As the Beast Sleeps, Carol’s Christmas (TATM) Eternally (1984). She has just finished Sinners shows, including . 2000 for Scandal, Howie the Rookie, True for taking a chance on him to be part Hamlet (Abbey Theatre Co-Pro), Scrooged (TATM) I Love You You’re by Marie Jones. Theatre credits saw his next success with his co- West, Henry IV, The Muesli Belt, At of such an amazing production. Shadowlands, Death of a Salesman, Perfect Now Change (Peter Corry include: The Gingerbread Mix Up , creation of Black Books with Dylan Swim-Two-Birds, Melonfarmer and Jane Eyre and A Midsummer Night’s Productions) It’s Not All Rain And Mistletoe & Crime, Pride & Prejudice, Moran. Graham also co-directed The Papar. Dream. Potatoes (Opera House) Out Of Little Red Riding Hood & The Big Bad many episodes with Nick Wood. Erin Charteris The Box ( and on Tour) Wolf, Hansel & Gretel, The Tale of In 2003 Graham directed the pilot In New York he directed the world Costume Designer Other theatrical credits include: Belongings (TATM) Talking Heads the Beauty and the Tale of the Beast, episode of Little Britain. premiere production of Sam The Habsburg Tragedies (Belfast (TATM) Christmas Eve Can Kill You Pinocchio, Red The Musical, She Stoops Linehan went on to create, write and Shepard’s play Ages of the Moon Graduated from Queens University Ensemble), Everything Between Us (TATM) The Odd Couple (TATM and To Conquer, Brian Moore’s Belfast, direct the 2006 Channel 4 starring Stephen Rea at the Atlantic 2011 with a BA Hons in English (Rough Magic), Mr & Mrs Laughton Wellwyn Garden City Theatre) Importance of Being Ernest (Lyric The IT Crowd, starring Chris O’Dowd Theatre. Literature. I have worked at the Lyric (Oran Mor / Sherman Cymru), The Television credits include: Friday Live Theatre). Positive Handbag (Waterfront and , which went on Theatre since it reopened in 2011 End of Hope (Oran Mor), Fly Me to the With the Hole In The Wall Gang (BBC & Grand Opera House). I’ll Tell My Ma to win multiple awards including the Jimmy created and established the and work full time in the wardrobe Moon (Paines Plough/ Oran Mor), NI) Two Ceasefires and a Wedding (MAC). Film credits include Gun Not BAFTA TV Award for ‘Best Situation Dublin Fringe Festival, now in it’s department as an assistant. During The Odd Couple – Female Version (BBCNI) Give My Head Peace (BBC NI) Fun, My Mother and Other Strangers Comedy’ in 2009, ‘Best TV Sitcom’ at 21st year. He was Artistic Director a five month sabbatical from the (Perth Theatre), Transparency, The McKeever (UTV) (BBC), Sabbings and Invisible. Christina the in 2009, of one of Dublin’s most popular Lyric I worked a season as a trainee Winners & The Early Bird (Ransom is Director of Tinynelson Productions, and ‘Best Script for Television’ at theatre companies, maker on Game of Thrones. Productions), `Planet Belfast, Radio credits include: Is It Me? producing bespoke events, walkabout Irish Film and Television Awards. Bedrock Productions from 1993 – Convictions, Revenge and Dumped (BBC Radio Ulster) Half Sketch, Half characters, street theatre and carnival Over the last ten years Graham 2009. Directing credits there include Lyric Theatre and Creative Learning (Tinderbox Productions), The Box, 1 in Biscuit (BBC R4) A Perforated Ulster events UK wide. She has worked for has also directed numerous ad the Irish premiers of internationally credits include: The Comedy of 5 (Kabosh Productions), A Christmas (BBC RU and Radio 5 Live) Film Kabosh Theatre Co. producing tours campaigns with Sneezing Tree vibrant new plays such as This Is Our Errors 2011, Light Shining in Carol (Manchester Library), Three credits include: Maybe Baby (Michael of the Shankill and training guides. Films, including campaigns for Youth, Roberto Zucco, Blasted, Night Buckinghamshire 2012, Oedipus the Women (C21), Hoffmannand Nivelli’s Winterbottom), Bronwyn (Welsh Film Facilitation work includes her early ITV Sports Channel, which were Just Before The Forest, Quay West, King 2012, Our Country’s Good 2013, War (Cahoots), Playboy of the Co.). 1798 The Comedy (BBCNI) years programme “Creative Child” awarded the Silver Arrow at the and Faraway. The Miracle 2013, 55 Days 2014, What Western World, The Colleen Bawn, with Young at Art and Champions 2003 BTAA Awards, and four are they like? 2014, Mistletoe and (Big Telly), Gulliver’s Travel, Spring teacher training courses for nursery commercials from the award In 2007 he was invited to curate an Crime 2014, Eternal Love 2015. Awakening (Galloglass), Strike (ICTU), and primary teachers. Christina winning QTV series starring Martin innovative and successful theatre Teechers (), The Vinegar directed cross community play Flags, Freeman. He directed the IKEA Van programme for the prestigious Fly (Charabanc), Factory Girls, The Flutes & Flames. She has produced The de Poop campaign and in 2011 he did Kilkenny Arts Festival. Gingerbread Mix Up (Bickerstaffe). Bus Run, an Arts funded community the Direct Line campaign starring play with over 100 cast, and the Paul Chris Addison, Alexander Armstrong He has worked as Director with Film credits include H3, The Boyd Musical Summer Schools. She and Amelia Bulmore. Landmark Productions on the Attendant and Mercy. devised and produced Spring Chickens In November 2011, Graham’s stage hugely commercially successful for Big Telly Theatre Company. adaptation of the Ealing Studio productions of Breaking Dad, She is an associate artist with the Christina was a mentor on the award classic The Ladykillers debuted at Between Foxrock and a Hard Place, Belfast Ensemble. Abigail also winning Lyric education project Pat The Playhouse before and The Last Days of the Celtic Tiger, received Award for and Plain and has developed a Home moving to The Gielgud Theatre in all by Paul Howard. Best Supporting Actress 2015 for Visits project, for NI Cancer Fund London starring and Everything Between Us. for Children and the Magic Medicine Ben Miller, where it received rave project with Cahoots NI. reviews and was a sell out show.

14 LYRICTHEATRE #THELADYKILLERS 15 LYRICTHEATRE CREATIVE TEAM

Stuart Marshall Conor Mitchell Zia Bergin-Holly Alison de Burgh Jennifer Rooney Brendan Gunn Set Designer Composer & Sound Designer Lighting Designer Fight Director Movement Director Vocal Coach

Stuart’s many previous designs Conor Mitchell is a music-theatre Zia is an award winning Lighting Alison joins this all female cast of Jennifer has been working as a Brendan Gunn holds an MA and a at the Lyric Theatre include The maker from Northern Ireland. He and Set Designer with a base in both The Ladykillers as the first female choreographer and movement PhD in linguistics. He began working Crucible, Dancing at Lughnasa, Of is the recipient of the 2016, Arts the UK and Ireland. She designs for Fight Director in the UK. She was director for over fifteen years since as a Dialogue and Dialect Coach in Mice and Men, Little Shop of Horrors, Council Northern Ireland Major theatre, dance, opera and live music also the Fight Director for the graduating from Northern School 1986 after leaving the University of A Night in November, Macbeth, Individual Artist’s Award. He is events. She is a B.A. (Hons) graduate original production of The Ladykillers of Contemporary Dance Leeds. Her Ulster where he was a Lecturer in Charlotte’s Web, The Hypochondriac, currently under commission for the of Drama and Theatre Studies, in 2011. work has varied from large scale Linguistics. From the initial project The Absence of Women, Translations, Lyric Theatre. Trinity College Dublin. She went on musical theatre shows to plays which took him into the world of film, Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, to participate on the Rough Magic For the Lyric: Punkrock, Macbeth, The and live events. She has also been television and theatre -A Prayer for Brendan at the Chelsea, Our Country’s Recent scores include his music- SEEDS Programme 2012-2013 and Civilization Game, Painkiller. teaching dance for most of that time the Dying starring Mickey Rourke Good, The Patriot Game, Can't Forget theatre piece The Habsburg is currently the Resident Associate and is currently a regular guest tutor - Brendan has gone on to become About You, Educating Rita and The Tragedies (The Belfast Ensemble), Designer with PAN PAN Theatre. ​ Theatre includes: How the Other Half and choreographer at The McMaster one of the most ‘in demand’ vocal Heresy of Love. his Cultural Olympiad opera Our Day Her work has included designs for Loves, The Scotsboro Boys, Strangers Stage School Bangor, Mountview coaches around, especially after his (NI Opera), the children’s opera The performances as part of the Dublin on a Train, The Prince of Denmark, Academy of Theatre Arts London and work on the Jim Sheridan film In Other designs include The 39 Steps Musician (national tour), the choral and Belfast Theatre Festivals, The What The Butler Saw, The Ladykillers, Rose Bruford College London. the Name of the Father which earned [Lyric/Bruiser Co-production]; work Shadowtime (Royal Festival Dublin Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, IPAY, , Speaking in Tongues; Oscar nominations for Daniel Day- Playhouse Creatures, Cabaret, The Hall), Requiem for the Disappeared On The Edge, Kilkenny Arts, Baboró The Dumb Waiter; Peter Pan, Bent; Associate Movement Director Lewis and Pete Postlethwaite in their 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling (Spark Opera), the sinfonietta 20: and 10 Days In Dublin festivals, as The Plays The Thing; Donkey’s Years; credits: Once the Musical (Olympia lead roles. Bee and The Caucasian Chalk Circle Ceasefire, and his Cabaret Songs well as assistant design credits for The Anniversary; As You Like It (West Theatre Dublin). Once the Musical [Bruiser, MAC Belfast]; Teenage in celebration of Britten's 100th performances on the West End.To End); A Small Family Business, The (Charlotte Theatre Seoul South Recent productions involving Kicks and Carthaginians [Millennium birthday (Aldeburgh Music). He and see examples of her work check out Black Album; Harper Regan; Therese Korea). Brendan cover a wide range of Forum, Derry]; Top Girls, Vernon God Mark Ravenhill’s award winning www.ziaholly.com Raquin; Coram Boy; Pillars of the subjects: During the Derry City of Little, Macbeth, The Gut Girls and song cycle Ten Plagues (Royal Court, Community; Tales From the Vienna Resident Movement Director credit: Culture he worked on the musical The Old Lady Says “No!” [Brian Friel Traverse Theatre) was recently Design credits include: Woods (National Theatre); Gobbo and Once the Musical (Phoenix Theatre Teenage Kicks inspired by the Theatre, Queen’s University]; A revived at Wilton’s Music Hall, The Importance of Being Earnest the Watchmaker (National Theatre London). Undertones’ song and A Particle Number, American Buffalo, Dealer’s London, performed again by Marc (Bruiser Theatre), Benighted of );The devil Inside him of Dread, the third play written by Choice, Oleanna, Gagarin Way, Almond. A reworking of his 2003 *Nominated for Best Lighting (National Theatre of Wales) A Mad Choreography credits include: Sam Shepard specifically with actor Vincent River and Blackbird (Prime musical-theatre piece Group! has Design at the Awards World My Masters, Romeo and Juliet; Gutted (Marlowe Theatre Stephen Rea in mind and premiered Cut Productions); Can't Pay? Won't just premiered in Ireland, directed by 2017* (Damien Tracey Productions The Penelopiad; As You Like It; A Canterbury), Much Ado About in Derry. Brendan also worked on the Pay!, Pentecost and The Chairs the composer. in association with The Old Red Midsummer Night’s Dream (RSC); Nothing (The Handlebards U.K. and other two in the trilogy – Kicking a (Tinderbox); Guys and Dolls, Annie Lion), The Importance of Nothing The King and I (Royal Albert Hall); international tour 2016), Gulliver's Dead Horse and Ages of the Moon. and Honk! [Grand Opera House As composer/librettist The Incredible *Winner of Best Lighting Design Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet; Under Travel’s (Lyric Theatre Belfast), Belfast]; The Diary of Anne Frank, The Book Eating Boy (The MAC, Belfast), at the Irish Times Theatre Awards The Black Flag (Shakespeare’s Teenage Kicks – A Punk Musical Recent films include The Foreigner Field, Sive, The Cripple of Inishmaan The Dummy Tree (National Theatre, 2017* (Pan Pan Theatre), The Nest Globe); Woman Falling Over; Lady (Millennium Forum Derry), 4 Quartets starring Pierce Brosnan and Jackie and The Lonesome West (Bardic London), Geppetto In Spring (Lyric Theatre Belfast and Young Boxers (National Theatre Studio); The (Maiden Voyage Dance Company Chan, Final Score also starring Pierce Theatre); Over the Bridge [Green (Gothenburg, Sweden), Goblin Market, Vic Theatre, London), Grace Jones: Scottsboro Boys, The Changeling; The Irish tour), Sweet Charity, The 25th Brosnan, The Terror, starring Jared Shoot Productions, Waterfront Hall Christmas Betty Ford (Lyric, Belfast), The Musical of my Life (Musical of Beauty Queen Of Leenan, Container, Annual Putnam County Spelling Harris, The Catcher Was A Spy with Belfast]; Bog People and The Country Have A Nice Life (Off Broadway), The My Life Films), Fabric *Winner of a Suss, () Bee, The Break and Hatch (The MAC Paul Giamatti and Trautmann, a Boy (Big Telly]; Sisters [City Theatre Last Ambulance (The Gate, London) Scotsman Fringe First Award* (Robin Belfast), Fiddler on the Roof and ‘biopic’ about the famous German Dublin, Edinburgh Festival and and many others including West End Rayner Productions in association Opera includes: Don Giovanni, Knight R&H Cinderella (Grand Opera House goalkeeper Bernd Trautmann filmed 59E59 New York]; Green and Blue, and off-Broadway. with TREMers), Northern Star (Rough Crew, Euryanthe (Glyndbourne Belfast). in Belfast and Munich. Brendan also My Name is Rachel Corrie and This is Magic), Enjoy, Unspoken, Anna Belle Festival Opera). La Fanciulla Del established the vocal style for the What We Sang [Kabosh]. Awards include BEST SCORE (New Eema, Assassins, Way to Heaven West, The Barber of Seville, Cavelleria TV series Fortitude starring Belfast York Musical Theatre Festival), the (Rough Magic SEEDS), Inhabitance, Rusticana, Pagliachi, Carmen,Tosca, actor Richard Dormer and was Stiles and Drewe Song Writers Broadening *Nominated for Best Macbeth, (Opera Holland Park); involved with the cast of Brooklyn, Award, The Arts Foundation Design at the Dublin Absolut Fringe Florentine Tragedy/Gianni Schicci a feature film based on the novel Fellowship Award for Composition, Awards 2012* (Glass Doll), They Called (Greek National Opera); Sweetness by Colm Toibin and scripted by Nick awarded by Sir Richard Eyre and two Her Vivaldi, The True Story of Hansel and Badness (Welsh National Hornby. Fringe Firsts. Mitchell is the founder and Gretel (Theatre Lovett), East of Opera); La Boheme Revival (Scottish of The Belfast Ensemble. Berlin (Brinkmanship Theatre), The Opera); The Trojans at Carthage; The Dead (Dublin Theatre Festival), The Handmaid’s Tale; The Trojans; Lulu; Night Alive (Lyric Theatre Belfast Morning to Midnight (English National and Dublin Theatre Festival), Before Opera); Monsters Were Made, Reckoners (15th Oak), Night (Hilary Woods), TV includes: Lemon la vida loca, East of Berlin, Northern Star (The Lir Maestro, The Hour, The Eleventh Hour, Academy), On The Wire *Nominated for Best Production at the Irish Times Film includes: Mindhorn, Use Your Theatre Awards 2015* (Wildebeest Energy Wisely, Being Othello, Mine, Theatre), Fused (Dan Bergin), The Last The Dark Room, Ghost Story, Stubborn 5 Years (Trees Rd Productions), The and Spite, Four; Respect; Promises, Separation (Pixilated), Flesh and Blood Promises. Women (Green Shoot Productions).

16 LYRICTHEATRE #THELADYKILLERS 17 LYRICTHEATRE SUPPORTING CAST

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LYRIC THEATRE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRODUCTION MANAGER HEAD OF CUSTOMER SERVICE DAVID HANNA SIR BRUCE ROBINSON ALAN McCRACKEN JULIE McKEGNEY CATHAL HENRY (CHAIRMAN) TERESA HILL STEPHEN DOUDS (VICE CHAIR) TECHNICAL MANAGER DUTY MANAGERS MEGAN KEENAN PHIL CHEEVERS KEITH GINTY MARINA HAMPTON HELENA HOWIE HENRY ELVIN ASHLENE McGURK GERARD KELLY PATRICIA McBRIDE TECHNICIANS ELLA GRIFFIN JULIE LAMBERTON DR MARK PHELAN DAMIAN COX HELEN LAVERY IAN VENNARD FOOD & BEVERAGE SUPERVISOR JANETTE LOUGHLIN PATRON TIGHEARNAN O’NEILL CATHERINE REGAN MEGAN MAGILL OBE CONAL CLAPPER COLM McATEER HEAD CHEF AOIFE McCLOSKEY ARTIST IN RESIDENCE WARDROBE SUPERVISOR STEVE SPRATT PATRICIA McGREEVY ROSEMARY JENKINSON ENDA KENNY MARY McMANUS Coffee - the drink of the cosmopolitan, the cultured and COOK CATHAN McROBERTS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER WARDROBE ASSISTANT MARTA KUKIE CATHERINE MOORE the conversational. JIMMY FAY ERIN CHARTERIS DONAL MORGAN KP EDITE MUCENIECE APPRENTICE PRODUCER ADMINISTRATION MANAGER HASSAN DAFES SEAMUS O’HARA Our script is simple. We source, buy, import, roast and BRONAGH McFEELY CLARE GAULT BERNADETTE OWENS deliver the best coffee and we never stop asking ourselves BOX OFFICE SUPERVISOR PATRICK QUINN CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT EMILY WHITE BOBBI RAI PURDY how we can make it better. Our speciality beans are roasted CIARAN McAULEY CAT RICE HAYLEY RUSSELL BOX OFFICE DEPUTY SUPERVISOR MICHAEL SHOTTON in Belfast and delivered fresh to the Lyric Café for you to LITERARY MANAGER HEAD OF FINANCE PAUL McCAFFERY SUSANNAH WILSON REBECCA MAIRS DEIRDRE FERGUSON enjoy. We act with precision, perfection and passion every CUSTOMER SERVICE AND BOX VOLUNTEERS MARKETING MANAGER FINANCE ASSISTANT OFFICE STAFF JORDYN CUMMINGS time. AISLING McKENNA TONI PATTON PAMELA ARMSTRONG JOAN GORMLEY LAURIE BAILEY JAKE KIERAN MARKETING OFFICER HEAD OF CREATIVE LEARNING LUKE BANNON CAOIMHE MANNION AIVEEN KELLY PHILIP CRAWFORD MICHAEL BINGHAM ALANA McALISTER We are Bailies. Belfast born and brewed. CARLA BRYSON MELISSA PATTY COMPANY STAGE MANAGER CREATIVE LEARNING ASSISTANT PAULA RUTH CARSON-LEWIS KATE MILLER PAULINE McKAY HANNAH CONLON ELLISON CRAIG DEPUTY STAGE MANAGERS CREATIVE LEARNING INTERN GARY CROSSAN TRACEY LINDSAY ERIN HOEY ALACOQUE DAVEY AIMEE YATES AMANDA DOHERTY HOUSEKEEPING DARREN FRANKLIN ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS DEBBIE DUFF CHRIS GRANT LOUISE BRYANS AMANDA RICHARDS GRIBBON STEPHEN DIX SAMANTHA WALKER SIMON HALL WWW.DARRAGHNEELY.COM 18 LYRICTHEATRE #THELADYKILLERS 7052 DB Lyric Ad 200x296 May 2015 NN1.indd 2 13/05/2015 09:58