It feels like only yesterday we were raising a glass to Brian Moore at The American Bar on the centenary of his birth, sharing laughs and listening to excerpts read by Tim McGarry, Louise Matthews, Maggie Cronin and Cillian Lenaghan. Paradosso Theatre are delighted to have been able to mark Brian Moore’s centenary, celebrate his portfolio of work, delve into certain aspects of his career through his archive held at University Of Calgary with Annie Murray, panel discussions with literary stalwarts such as Colm Toíbín, Bernard McLaverty, Joanna Braniff, Brian Busby, Wendy Erskine, Tara Ison, Andrew Cartmell, Patricia Craig, and bring his work to life through pop up readings across the city with Louise Parker and Stephen Beggs, an evening of music and words at the Harty Room led by Neil Martin and joined by Kathy Keira Clarke and Tim Loane, a rehearsed reading of the Emperor Of Ice Cream directed by Emily DeDakis and read by graduates of the Lyric Drama Studio as well as featuring an original cast member Noel Magee from the Abbey Theatre production in 1977. We also commissioned (through funds awarded by NI Office & Belfast City Council) artist FRIZZ to create a piece of street art to celebrate one of Brian Moore’s most loved novels The Lonely Passion Of Judith Hearne. Thanks to Ray & Debbie at the Duncan this has been located on Duncairn Avenue in Belfast, not too far from Carlisle Circus where Brian Moore was born and raised.

We received a lot of positive feedback through our post festival survey and it is very clear there is still a lot of love for Brian Moore, some new fans and those who are curious to find out more. Thanks to everyone who responded to our survey as well as everyone who joined us online and in person in festival venues including, the Black Box, Strand Arts Centre, The American Bar, The Sunflower Bar, the Harty Room and St. Joseph’s Church in Sailortown.

Special Thanks

We have many people to thank for their help and support in the lead up to and during the festival. Many many thanks to our funders Arts Council for Northern Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland. Special thanks also goes to the following people: Jean Moore, Hugh Odling Smee, Stephen Hackett, Jeff Robinson, Andrew Moore, Rachel Brown, Phillip Crawford, Noel McAdam, Marie Louise Muir, Pedro Donald, Neil Jacques, Marian Noone (a.k.a FRIZZ), Chad Alexander, Ray Giffin and Debbie Young from The Duncairn and last but very much not least our fantastic volunteers: Dara McWade, Caitlin Young, Michelle Zuckerman, Kalia, Andrew, Carolina, Lucy.

Sign up to our mailing list here: https://mailchi.mp/687745a051b2/paradosso-theatre for updates on the street mural as well as the latest on our adaptation of The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne.

Relive some of our favourite moments from the Lonely Passions festival below.