a mini-festival of miniature theatre

15 Minutes was Accidental's special miniature plays mini-festival. Back by demand for a second year in 2013 15 Minutes delivered a diverse mix of young and established theatre companies, from drama to dance, to the Belfast stage over two nights in June. Bite-size with big impact, it brought work from across Ireland to the Ulster Hall and was one of the theatrical highlight of our 2013. 

Tuesday June 4th 

The Dutiful Wife 

by Offtherails Dance 
Choreographed by Offtherails Dance
Performed by Paula O'Reilly, Sinead Marie Mcallister, Paula Guzzanti and Eileen McClory

An emotive and highly physical piece of dance theatre that examines the role of ‘the wife’ within the volatile world of politics.  From corrupt scandals to high profile affairs, can these dutiful wives stand by their men in the face of public scrutiny? This excerpt explores the conflict between the private and public persona of the political Wife.

www.offtherailsdance.com

The Red Shoes

by Fickle Favours
Directed by Aislínn Clarke
Written by Sarah Grochala
Cast: 'Kaz' and cello: Alana Henderson; Piano and score: Nicholas Boyle; Guitar and Recorder: Malachy Costello; Mandolin: Stephen O' Hagan; Cello: Rachael McCabe

The Red Shoes is a dark modern-day fairytale told as musical monologue. The story centres on single parent Kaz during the London riots. This is a story about visceral desire and graphic consumerism. It's one mad, dizzying, night when everything is free for the taking but the price tags are higher than ever.

www.facebook.com/FickleFavours

Superhero

by Accidental Theatre
Written by Mark Levine
Directed by Richard Lavery
Cast: Megan Armitage and Gary Crossan

Superhero is a beautiful short which looks at the frailty of the human being, and how small we can feel in our everyday lives as we are pushed about. Don’t we often wish we could be a superhero? Whats stopping us?

www.accidentaltheatre.co.uk

We Can Talk About This Here

by THEATREclub
Created and Performed by Shane Byrne and Doireann Coady

THEATREclub create and stage accessible, high-quality theatre that illuminates and responds to the issues people face today. TheatreCLUB is a young, Dublin-based theatre collective founded in November 2008. TheatreCLUB is Shane Byrne, Doireann Coady and Grace Dyas. We Can Talk About This Here is a perfect example of their work.

www.theatreclub.ie

Wednesday June 5th 

Pierrot 2000’s 

by Carpet Theatre 
Director/deviser: Ciarán Taylor
Performed by Mark Fitzgerald, Tom Lane, Karl Quinn

Pierrot 2000’s is a classic physical comedy and music show. Two performers, both aided and hindered by their long-suffering musical accompanist, struggle to put on a show with unexpected and hilarious results. The show’s central double act recalls the tradition of Laurel and Hardy and The Three Stooges. It updates the 19th to early 20th century tradition of seaside variety entertainment, performed by Pierrot Troupes in distinctive costumes for holiday makers on makeshift stages. Supported by Dublin City Council and commissioned by Mermaid Arts Centre Bray in 2012.

www.carpettheatre.com

Thunderfinger

by Those Who Can’t 
Created and performed by Stephen Beggs, John Kelly and Rachael McCabe

Those Who Can’t present a selection of sketches from Thunderfinger – a comedy show that lifts the greasy lid on the peculiar world of espionage and has a good old hoke about inside. This Belfast based comedy team, was founded in 2001 and have created many hugely popular live shows over the years and have also written and performed for BBC radio.

Those Who Can't Facebook Group

Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History 

by Spanner in the Works Theatre Company
Written and Directed by Patricia Downey
Performed by Caroline Curran

Spanner in the Works theatre company presents an abridged version of Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History written and directed by Patricia Downey. Following a sell out success at the Lyric Theatre and tours to both the Edinburgh and Brighton Fringe festivals. The play is a one woman performance from Caroline Curran who gives an insight into the tragic lives of Mo Mowlam and Aileen Wuornos. The play shall be developed to include the lives of notorious couples and will be toured in February 2014.

www.spannerintheworks.org

Entra, Silvio (Il Burlesque di Berlusconi)

by Rachel Austin
Rachel Austin (writer, songwriter, performer)
Conor Barry (Video & Sound Editor)
Emma Copland (Director)
Alexandra Moore (Costume/Set Design)

When a woman, like a nation, has suffered false hopes for fulfillment, it is the right time for a strong man to step in.

Enter Silvio. 

He gives Italia her desires on TV, makes her laugh, and stirs things up enough to keep her interested because - after all - a little bit of controversy goes a long way! In a country that is ridden with secret societies, corruption, and an intuitive distrust of the judicial system, the people are on his side as long as he keeps them smiling. But what will it take for her to lose faith in her lover? Silvio il Burlesque crosses between 1950s musical and performance art with songs that feel immediately familiar, carrying you to understand the man and the country behind the burlesque.

www.rachelaustinmusic.com

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a very-short play festival

15 Minutes debuted in May 2012 for two unique nights in the Ulster Hall Group Space. For this inaugural year we brought together a selection of great Irish companies as a very special mini-festival to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Ulster Hall.

Ten of the best Irish theatre companies and makers, both young and old, each performed a piece lasting only fifteen minutes, with five different companies featured each night

Great taster of different moods. Great to be transported to so many places!!
A REALLY great night of ‘mini-theatre’. Please do it again!
Fantastic - making theatre vibrant and accessible! A great show!
WELL DONE EVERYONE. What a fab idea and a brilliant night - more please!!

WEDNESDAY 9th MAY

Wireless Mystery Theatre – The Width of a Room by Aislinn Clarke & Stephen O’Hagan

A specially devised original work by Aislinn Clarke and Stephen O’Hagan with music by Barry Cullen. Audio theatre, performed in darkness, with an original improvised electro score. About a terminally ill old man and a nurse caring for him, who uncovers a chilling secret the old man has been keeping between himself and the 4 walls...

www.wirelessmysterytheatre.com

Kabosh – Fever by Nicola McCartney

A young woman comes face to face with her victim. An older woman comes face to face with her attacker. Both recollect the eventful night that changed their lives for good. How different are memories. Are some things better left unsaid?

www.kabosh.net

Mary-Frances Doherty – Delia and the Blitz – The show must go on!

A new devised work exploring the events that took place on that fateful night of April 15th, 1941.  As the Belfast skyline lit up and the city suffered from one of the highest death tolls in one single night, Irish songbird Delia Murphy entertained a packed Ulster Hall, singing hit after hit, drowning out the sirens and dancing through the trouble as the city around her turned to rubble.

www.maryfrancesdoherty.com

Aisling Ghéar – An Aisling – Part 2

Highly original comedy in Irish! A wild, wacky and witty comedy sketch show, poking a wee bit of fun at some lovingly held customs and beliefs that surround the language. Expect familiar songs with lyrics full of that famous black Belfast humour and expect to do a bit of the ‘joining in on the chorus’!!

www.aislingghear.com

Fishamble: The New Play Company – Excerpt from Silent by Pat Kinevane

Homeless McGoldrig once had splendid things. But he has lost it all - including his mind. He now dives into the wonderful wounds of his past through the romantic world of Rudolph Valentino, in this brave, bold, beautiful production. Silent is currently wowing audiences on its extensive Irish touring and internationally in Europe and the USA.

WINNER of Fringe First and Herald Angel Awards at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2011

www.fishamble.com

THURSDAY 10th MAY

Sumaire – Within the Pale Glade by Lisa Keogh

A dramatic reading of the first fifteen minutes of Within the Pale Glade, a full-length play being developed by Sumaire. On the night of her mother’s funeral Tessa escapes the small-talk of grief and runs to the garden. When Ada finds her there the tensions between them can no longer be ignored.

www.facebook.com/sumairetheatre

Theatre Without Walls – Excerpt from Desert Island Books by Jason Maher

Isabelle Blake is leaving her old life behind. She has been dreaming of escape for as long as she can remember and the family bookshop has always got in her way but now there is a new man in her life and things are starting to get interesting. This funny and moving production is for anyone who has ever fallen in love or dreamed of a new life.

Desert Island Books is a literary romance with a loveable quirky heroine aimed at a mainstream audience.

www.theatrewithoutwalls.org.uk

Spark Opera Love Duet

A love duet in modern day dress.

www.sparkopera.co.uk

Accidental – Fallen Socks and Fear by Kristen Kernaghan

A beautiful tiny play about a chance encounter in the park between a girl who wants to read and a man who just wants his socks pulled up. Simple and unsettling, this gorgeous play highlights what a person has to overcome to reach someone else.

Director Richard Lavery

Cast Susan Davey and Matt Faris

www.accidentaltheatre.co.uk

Tinderbox – Blue for a Boy by Julie Dutkiewicz

It's a big day for Lois. She is about to give birth to her first child but her mother can't be at the hospital to support her. As the contraction pains take hold she has to face her fear and the challenges ahead on her own. At the same time, her mother in her prison cell, unable to contact Lois, realise she is about to miss the most important day of her daughter’s life.

www.tinderbox.org.uk

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