On The Boards

With the Belfast Festival and its many delights over and done with some of you will be feeling bereft, but fear not, November holds many possibilities.

One Man, Two Guvnors
The reputation of The National Theatre's One Man, Two Guvnors not only precedes it, but runs, skips and jumps ahead of it, wearing neon and ringing bells. A modern take on slapstick British humour; think Charlie Chaplin on acid with some Ladykillers thrown in. The National don't tour over here all that often, but the absurd success of this very British West End show means we're getting some top shelf theatre at The Grand Opera House this month. 11 - 15 Nov, goh.co.uk

Unhome
Tinderbox always deliver thought-provoking and engaging original work, and they are back in The Mac in mid-November with Jimmy McAleavey's new piece Unhome. This play is being sold as a “haunting psychological mystery”, and if past collaborations from McAleavey and Tinderbox are anything to go by Unhome will be surreal, home-grown story-telling at its very best. 11 - 22 Nov, themaclive.com

The Holy Holy Bus
Another transfer out of the Belfast Festival is The Holy Holy Bus. Brass Neck Theatre Company is bringing Pearse Elliott's new play to the Island Arts Centre. The all-female cast present a modern take on religion and happiness. This is a very Northern Irish brand of humour, and those easily offended best stay home. 14 Nov, islandartscentre.com

One-Act Festival
Finally Belfast's One-Act Festival is back at the Lyric's Naughton Studio this month. This is an excellent opportunity for new writers, directors and performers to get an outing in a professional venue. If you are interested in the future of the arts in Northern Ireland, this festival is a good place to start. 8 plays, in four sessions over one weekend. Not all the work is original; Jim Cartwright's disturbing but stunning comedy Two is in the programme. You can see as few or as many as you like, but the tickets are cheap and there is talent to be seen here. 06 - 08 Nov, lyrictheatre.co.uk

I would advise stuffing yourself with these nutritious morsels while you can, for as any theatre-going individual knows, at the end November looms the empty spectre of December. The season of good will seems to banish theatrical creativity, expel artistic endeavour and embrace the saccharine, the silly and the spangled. If being screamed at by an old man in bad drag in a sea of sticky, restless children is your idea of a great night in the stalls, start saving now, there will be plenty to tempt you next month.

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