My review of Maiden Voyage Dance's LOOP, choreographed by Mónica Muñoz, composed by Katie Richardson and performed by Eva McGeown, Sarah Flavelle and Patrick Connolly. Seen at the Young At Art Belfast Children's Festival #BCF26.

Disclosure Day has good ideas and good performances but it also feels haphazard. To be fair so does Close Encounters but there seems to be a greater emotional connection in that case. Nonetheless, much to laud. West Side ‘21 remains Spielberg’s crowning achievement of the decade to date.

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Bold Girls. Michael Quinn (@quinnfreelance.bsky.social) directs Rona Munro's play for Centre Stage, and the result is "profoundly affecting... a welcome interlude". The play runs at Belfast's Lyric until Sunday June 14. Read my review here. tinyurl.com/4cf3nat3

In the run up to Disclosure Day… I wasn’t overly keen on The Fabelmans. It had its moments but it felt hollow. In West Side Story ‘21, however, a hollowness was integrated into song and dance to reveal discomforting truths - it’s a masterpiece.

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - The Effect. The Bardic Theatre production of Lucy Prebble's "sharp, sincere and entirely heartfelt" play, directed by James Murphy, concludes its run at Belfast's Lyric Theatre on Saturday June 6. Review here. tinyurl.com/47z6r2r2

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Girls And Boys. The Untap Production of Dennis Kelly's play featured an "astonishing" performance from Katie Breen and ran at @themacbelfast.bsky.social earlier this year. Read my review here. tinyurl.com/yu32dfse

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Where We Bury The Bones. The Dumbworld and Kilkenny Arts Festival co-production, staged at Belfast's Lyric Theatre earlier this year, is "experimental, eloquent, eclectic and understated... a feast of aesthetic admiration". Read my review here. tinyurl.com/2ktrw9ba

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Tea In A China Cup. A new Lyric Theatre production of Christina Reid's play, directed by Dan Gordon, this "lively, fascinating and richly fulfilling" work runs at the Belfast theatre until May 30. Review here. tinyurl.com/63jtsrft

#Music #Review at #SiArtsNI - Lady Day: A Celebration Of Billie Holiday. Vocalist Camille Rose led "a refreshing, energising and on the whole rather delectable tribute" to a legend at Derry-Londonderry's Playhouse Theatre as part of this year's #DerryJazzFest. Review here. tinyurl.com/y55k7bkk

#Music #Review at #SiArtsNI - Sylvie Noble. The London-based vocalist and composer performed on Friday May 1 at Derry-Londonderry's Playhouse Theatre as part of this year's #DerryJazzFest. Review here. tinyurl.com/397a2whx

Still applies, whether promotion is automatic or via the play-offs. Let’s see what happens. #Boro #UTB

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Cuckoo-Land. Kabosh Theatre's "alert, alive and affecting" piece, a "consummately crafted tale of tumultuous truths" runs at @themacbelfast.bsky.social until Sunday April 26. Review here. tinyurl.com/d4ek4atf

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - A Bomber's Moon. The "tautly structured and very human" Bright Umbrella play stars Leah Williamson, Glenn McGivern, John Travers and Andy Porter, and runs until April 19 with more shows from May 1 to May 2. Review here. tinyurl.com/5n89pe6e

And we’ve still got this. Automatic promotion may be out of our hands right now but we were four points behind the second placed team, with fewer goals scored, in 1998. And that was *also* with six games to go. And we made it in the end. It really isn’t over ‘til it’s over. #Boro #UTB

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - GROUP! A "hyperactively melodramatic comedy opera", this "awe-inspiring" co-production between The Belfast Ensemble and Belfast's Lyric Theatre runs at the Lyric until Saturday April 4. Review here. tinyurl.com/3u6tm7h5

I am a #Boro fan. I see us very well placed in our best chance of promotion to the top tier in years and yet we seem weighed down by the historical precedent of being built up and let down repeatedly. Just because it happened then, and often, doesn’t mean it has to happen now. We’ve got this. #UTB

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - The Green Frog. Johanna Gallagher's play, a Wildering Production starring Eimear Ginesi, Jack Elmore and Kai McCaughtry, runs at the Shoot Gallery in Belfast as part of @imaginebelfast.bsky.social until March 25. Review here. tinyurl.com/myrp9vfp

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - I, She, Medusa. The Dark Forest production, with Nathan Martin and Jade O'Neill, an instance of "fact and fairy tale blended for mysterious murk and the searching of the soul" recently ran at @themacbelfast.bsky.social. Review here. tinyurl.com/4ver9tf8

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Be Kind. A highlight of the Young At Art Belfast Children's Festival #BCF26, the "eclectic" and "effervescent" Emilie Weisse Circustheater production recently ran at the Brian Friel Theatre at the Queen's Film Theatre, Belfast. Review here. tinyurl.com/4u643wcx

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - By Trial And Error. A "fun-filled, joyful experience", Cirque Content Pour Peu's piece recently ran at Belfast’s Lyric Theatre as part of the Young At Art Belfast Children's Festival #BCF26. Review here. tinyurl.com/mvnecxm6

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Drop. An instance of "charming and dazzling street theatricality laden with intuitively imaginative ideas", Txema Muñoz's piece ran as part of the Young At Art Belfast Children's Festival #BCF26. Review here. tinyurl.com/mr3faahv

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - The Little Prince. Toby Thompson's imaginative adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's book runs at @themacbelfast.bsky.social as part of the Young At Art Belfast Children's Festival #BCF26 until Sunday March 8. Review here. tinyurl.com/5n775fav

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Consumed. This "passionately volatile, darkly comedic and poignantly revelatory" play runs at Belfast's Lyric Theatre until March 8 before a run at the London's Park Theatre from March 18 to April 18. Review here. tinyurl.com/yhsnsf28

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - The Human Voice. A "mesmerising mixture of powerfully personified emotion", this "impeccable" adaptation, a Prime Cut production starring Nicky Harley, runs at Belfast's Lyric Theatre until Saturday February 28. Review here. tinyurl.com/f7wje2zt

We lost a titan. A true consigliere. An actor who made every scene better just by his presence, Robert Duvall. RIP to a Godfather of Hollywood.

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Expösed. "A clever and unique adaptation", the Baby Lamb Production recently ran at Belfast's Accidental Theatre and will run at London's @landutheatre.bsky.social from February 17 to February 21. Review here. tinyurl.com/4jsuefmj

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - The White Handkerchief. The Millennium Forum's production of Liam Campbell's "enriching, energetic and eclectic theatrical masterwork", directed by Kieran Griffiths, runs at the Derry-Londonderry venue until Sunday February 1. Review here. tinyurl.com/yc2kjraj

The winners of the #SiArtsNI #Theatre And #Dance Awards have been announced as part of a reflective piece on 2025! Read on to find out who won in a year where performativity and reflection took precedence among themes... and congrats to all nominees. tinyurl.com/3t64px4d

The nominations are in for the #SiArtsNI #Theatre and #Dance Awards for 2025! Winners announced soon...

#Christmas #Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Baby It's Cold Outside. Directed by Michael Quinn, the Bright Umbrella revival of Brenda Murphy's classic play runs in Belfast's Sanctuary Theatre until January 4, 2026. Review here. tinyurl.com/52apzhsu

#Christmas #Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - The People's Panto: Snow White. A "concise and excellently paced thrill ride", the @BrassneckCo production runs at St Comgall's, Belfast, until December 28. Read more here. tinyurl.com/2s37xb94

#Christmas #Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Robin Hood. Written and directed by Sarah Lyle, Yellow Jumper Productions' panto is "enthusiastic, explorative, exciting entertainment" and runs at Newtownabbey's Theatre At The Mill until January 3, 2026. Review here. tinyurl.com/yc8thxws

#Christmas #Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - A Christmas Carol. The Blue Eagle production, which breathes "new and memorable life into a most familiar story", runs in St Augustine's Church, Derry-Londonderry, until December 19. Review here. tinyurl.com/2kfhnfjd

#Christmas #Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Belfast Actually 2. A "most enjoyable" show filled with "fun, laughter and heart", Leesa Harker's comedy, directed by Andrea Montgomery, runs at Newtownabbey's Theatre At The Mill until Saturday January 3 2026. Review here. tinyurl.com/45d3rede

My greatest Rob Reiner memory? I’ll never forget how When Harry Met Sally helped me through a tough time years ago and became my “comfort film” for a while. Bookending the film with “It Had To Be You” was inspired. Frank Sinatra‘s version of the song is playing in my head now. #RIP

Shocked by the awful death of Rob Reiner. I spoke with him for over an hour last night. We talked about his work and his plans for the future. I always enjoyed his company. We met at his Dad's in 1975. Last thing he said to me was "See you next year.." Such a terrible end. Such a sweet man.

#Christmas #Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - The Elf Inspectors. "Dazzling as spectacle, sensitively acted and very thoughtfully written", the Replay Theatre Company production runs at @themacbelfast.bsky.social until Wednesday December 24. Review here. tinyurl.com/ywxr8hkc

#Christmas #Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - A Christmas Carol. Marie Jones's adaptation, directed by Matthew McElhinney and starring Dan Gordon, returns to Belfast's Lyric Theatre - and it's as engaging, harmonious and humorous as ever. Review here. tinyurl.com/4xr34c6m

#Christmas #Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Jack Frost. The Christmas adventure at @themacbelfast.bsky.social is "richly thematic" and "an intelligent and heartfelt triumph". It runs until Thursday January 1 2026. Review here. tinyurl.com/2wzz68cs

Since I RT this every American Thanksgiving: my review of PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES. filmfreakcentral.net/2017/11/plan...

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Belfast Playwrights: 10-Minute Plays. A recent festival of ten-minute plays for emerging theatre makers took place at Belfast's Black Box - and the promise in each work was tremendous. Review here. tinyurl.com/53vurjn6

#Music #Review at #SiArtsNI - An Evening With Tia Bow & Clare Galway. The "eclectic, experimental and effervescent" work of two talented artists hugely entertained the audience at Belfast's Sunflower, as part of @ohyeahcentre.bsky.social's #SoundOfBelfastFest25. Review here. tinyurl.com/43pb3ebv

Wicked: For Good? Better than expected. Cluttered, over ambitious maybe, but elements *did* ring strong and true - particularly Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s performance of the title song, which to me might be the best song in all of Wicked. Tears were shed as the contrasting vocals harmonised.

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Belfast Girls. Directed by Rhiann Jeffrey, the An Táin Arts Centre and Quintessence Theatre production of Jaki McCarrick's play recently concluded an Irish tour at Belfast's Lyric Theatre. Review here. tinyurl.com/4a5w4d27

New #Film #Review from me on @letterboxd.social - Saipan (2025), directed by Glenn Leyburn & Lisa Barros D'Sa, and starring Éanna Hardwicke and Steve Coogan. I saw it at the Belfast Film Festival recently, and it's due to be screened at this year's Foyle Film Festival on November 23. boxd.it/bJDcAL

Reeling at the passing of Pauline Collins. Among many performances, she made the film adaptation of Shirley Valentine the memorable work that it is. #RIP

#Theatre #Review at #SiArtsNI - Marjorie's Dead. The Dark Forest Theatre production, a "chilling, humane and eclectic" work, runs at the Studio in the Grand Opera House, Belfast, from Thursday November 6 to Saturday November 8. Review here. tinyurl.com/3jruees6

Ally Sheedy is simply incredible in The Breakfast Club. My latest viewing has opened my eyes to further nuances in an astounding and enduring portrayal.

Written a lot, and I mean a lot, on The Breakfast Club following another viewing, this time to mark forty years of the film. Astonished by the level of visual and textual depth John Hughes came up with here, in such a relatively short space of time.

#THEATRE #REVIEW at #SiArtsNI - Denouement. Directed by Jimmy Fay, this "staggering" work, with "top tier performances" from Patrick O'Kane and Anna Healy, runs at Belfast's Lyric Theatre as part of @belfastfestival.bsky.social #BIAF25 until November 15. Review here. tinyurl.com/56cfuc98