Belfast's flagship Lyric Theatre, where Liam Neeson started his professional career, will embark on the most extensive tour in its history this spring, thanks to an exciting new partnership with Ulster Bank.
Sponsorship from Ulster Bank, a major corporate champion of the arts, will ensure that more people than ever, including those living outside the major cities can enjoy high quality professional theatre on their own doorsteps.
The Lyric will visit twenty different towns and cities throughout the island of Ireland with a hilarious new adaptation of Moliere’s classic comedy The Miser. Scottish actor Andy Gray, best known for his role in television comedy series Rab C Nesbitt, will play the title role in this period costume drama, which promises matchmakers, buried treasure, forbidden romance, moneylenders, and missing Lords in a spiral of outrageous, comic confusion.
Welcoming the announcement of this new partnership, Henry Elvin, Head of Business Banking Northern Ireland at Ulster Bank said “It is widely recognised that the arts have a significant role to play in a modern economy. The long-term strategy for Ulster Bank’s arts sponsorship is to widen access to the arts across the island of Ireland, and we are delighted to be working with the Lyric to achieve this shared goal“.
The Lyric Theatre’s Artistic Director, Richard Croxford, said: “Ulster Bank’s support will enable the Lyric to tour further than ever before, allowing more people in the regions, including the Bank’s customers, to enjoy a truly great theatre experience. This partnership demonstrates how the arts and corporate sectors can work together to make a real and positive difference, and is particularly welcome at a time when cuts in public funding for the arts have reduced provision throughout the country. This production will be a highlight of the season and we can’t wait to take the show on the road”.
Adapted by David Johnston, and directed by Dan Gordon, the production will tour from 31 May to 9 July visiting venues in Coleraine, Ballymena, Armagh and Downpatrick, L’derry, Omagh, Enniskillen, Antrim, Lisburn, Monaghan, Galway, Mullingar, Portlaoise, Kilkenny, Drogheda, Roscommon, Virginia in Co. Cavan, Sligo and Letterkenny.
Tickets for The Miser are now on sale nationwide and are available at all host venues across the country.
Find out more information on the participating venues, tour dates and booking details