4th February 2021

This year sees the 100th anniversary of Brian Moore’s birth year. Born in Belfast on 25 August 1921, Brian Moore was one of the most prolific authors to come out of Belfast. Thanks to funding from Arts Council Northern Ireland, Paradosso Theatre Company will hold a series of events in August 2021 commemorating the centenary of one of Northern Ireland’s finest writers. 

The name Lonely Passions: Brian Moore Centenary Festival, takes inspiration from one of Moore’s most popular novels ‘The Lonely Passion Of Judith Hearne’.  A prizewinning and three times Booker Prize nominee, he wrote over 20 novels, including The Emperor Of Ice Cream, The Luck Of Ginger Coffey, The Feast Of Lupercal,  I Am Mary Dunne, The Doctor’s Wife, and The Colour Of Blood amongst others. He was also a short story writer and briefly – a screenwriter. 

Many of his novels were adapted for the screen and featured stars such as Micheal Caine (The Statement, 2003), Maggie Smith, Bob Hoskins (The Lonely Passion Of Judith Hearne, 1987) and Paul Newman and Julie Andrews, who starred in the 1966 Hitchcock directed film, Torn Curtain.

The festival will take place from Thursday 19th – Wednesday 25th August 2021, ending on the centenary of his birth, and will be a city wide affair, including a walking tour of Brian Moore’s Belfast and encompassing screenings, both fictional and documentary, readings of his plays and short stories, panels discussing the legacy of his work, and live performances and recitals (Covid permitting) in a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces.  

The Brian Moore Centenary Festival is supported by Organisational Emergency Funding by the Department for Communities through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.  Caoileann Curry –Thompson, Drama and Dance Officer at the Arts Council said:

“I am thrilled that the Arts Council of Northern Ireland is supporting Paradosso in this vibrant, ambitious venture to bring the work of Brian Moore to life in the streets and venues of his home town. Paradosso has created an irresistible, varied programme of work drawing on the talents of a fantastic range of artists. No better way to celebrate the extraordinary Brian Moore who has been all too long overlooked here. I’m especially excited that this one-of-a-kind, exceptional artist is to be honoured by Paradosso, a company which represents the very best in Northern Irish theatre: singularity of vision, tenacity, generosity in approach and probing insight into the human spirit.”

Eileen Branagh, Chair Paradosso Theatre Board 

“We are delighted to be helping to commemorate Brian Moore and to raise awareness of his work to a new and younger audience, while allowing an older generation to reminisce in a writer too often overlooked on these shores.”

Mary Lindsay & Vittoria Cafolla, Artistic Directors, Paradosso Theatre

The beauty of Brian Moore’s work lies in his simple, but beautiful storytelling and in the richness of his characters.  Many of his most popular novels are set in the familiar surroundings of Belfast, yet deal with issues and themes that many will find relatable & all too relevant today. We are thrilled to be able to celebrate and promote his work to both fans and new and younger audiences alike. 

In the meantime “Brian Moore at 100” (a collaboration between Exeter University and Queen’s University Belfast) has planned a series of events to run throughout the year. You can find further information on their website: http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/bm2021, including details of a Brian Moore read-along run by Cathy Brown (@cathy746books).

For more info on the August Centenary Festival follow Paradosso on twitter @Paradosso_NI, email us at paradossotheatre@gmail.com or join our mailing list for further information https://mailchi.mp/687745a051b2/paradosso-theatre