Crimea Square Photo: Belfast Festival

It’s festival time again in Belfast as the long-established Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s gets underway. The large public art project WISH has been officially unveiled by the artist Jorge Rodríguez–Gerada at the 11 acre site beside the Titanic Centre. The new face for Belfast on the old face of the city can be viewed from the centre (viewing opportunities now closed) or from W5 at specific times during the festival and to book a free ticket, register here (W5).

Wish by Jorge Rodríguez–Gerada Photo: Belfast Festival

This evening, the opening concert takes place at the Waterfront Hall with the internationally acclaimed tenor José Carreras and Irish soprano Celine Byrne from County Kildare. As a volunteer with the festival, I will be attending the preview night of Crimea Square, which presents the story of the Shankill Road from 1912 until the present day, using film, performance and sound.

Populated by some of the Shankill’s greatest characters, this production covers major events from the signing of the Ulster Covenant up to and beyond the Shankill Road bombing in October 1993.

Using a unique combination of especially commissioned sound scape and film, the era of the cinema will be brought back to the Spectrum Centre (old Stadium Cinema) through the use of large screens recalling the Shankill of old, using a mix of professional and community actors.

Previews on Thurs 17 and Fri 18 October. Shows: 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27 October. There will be a talk after the show on Thursday 24 October. Tickets are £10 (concession £8) and can be booked here. 

This event continues after the Festival on the following dates: 31st October, 1st November and 2nd November.  There will be a post show talk on 31st October. If you would like to book tickets for one of these performances after the Festival, please contact the Spectrum Centre on 028 9050 4555.