belfast
by moonlight

Written By: Carlo Gébler
Directed By: Paula McFetridge
Production Premiere: 13th August 2013

To mark the 400th anniversary of the foundation of the city, Belfast by Moonlight was produced by Kabosh for Belfast Festival 2013, set in St. George’s Church of Ireland on High Street.

This ritualistic oratorio charts the history of this ever-changing city, giving voice to the forgotten, celebrating personal endurance and presenting a refrain for Béal Feirste.

Where the River Farset joins the mouth of the Lagan

Rests the chapel of the sandy ford

An inhospitable place for a city

Yet in 1613 a town charter is granted

400 years on as the full moon rises six spirits congregate to offer a haunting lament

Marrying Gebler’s unconventional approach with Kabosh’s ambitious, challenging vision has created one of the most unusual pieces of theatre I have ever seen

The Big List
McFetridge’s direction makes effective use of the inherent theatricality of the space: the altar screen a kind of framing proscenium

Irish Theatre Magazine
400 years ago, there was no Belfast. All there was on the site of where the city now stands were a few small houses and a church, which was located roughly where St George’s Church in High Street stands today.

Culture Ireland
This is an ambitious and daringly different production from Kabosh and there are some spine-tingling moments of storytelling and song.

Belfast Telegraph
you made my heart soar’ ‘magnificent show; haunting, moving, atmospheric, will linger in the mind for a long while’ ‘a beautiful, haunting piece of theatre in a fantastic location

Audience Feedback

CREATIVE TEAM

Writer: Carlo Gébler

Director: Paula McFetridge

Composer: Neil Martin

Cast: Bernadette Brown, Maria Connolly, Roisin Gallagher, Laura Hughes, Carol Moore and Kerri Quinn

Costume Designer: Elle Kent

Lighting Designer: Conleth White

Musical Director: Nigel McClintock

Choir Director: Emma Gibbons

Brand Design: Peter Higgins

Movement Consultant: Sandy Cuthbert

Dialect Coach: Peter Ballance

Production Manager: Jacqueline O’Hagan
Stage Manager: Christine Collins

Technical Stage Manager: JP Conaghan

Assistant Technical Stage Manager: James Kennedy

Chorus: Rachel Adams, Julie Alderdice, Laragh Cullen, Nuala Davies, Emily DeDakis, Elizabeth McConnell, Siobhan Shiels, Elaine Pelan and Rachel Thompson

Production Assistant: Fionnuala Kennedy

Producer: Zoe Fox

It is published by Lagan Press.

Funded by

belfastby moonlight

Marrying Gebler’s unconventional approach with Kabosh’s ambitious, challenging vision has created one of the most unusual pieces of theatre I have ever seen

McFetridge’s direction makes effective use of the inherent theatricality of the space: the altar screen a kind of framing proscenium

400 years ago, there was no Belfast. All there was on the site of where the city now stands were a few small houses and a church, which was located roughly where St George’s Church in High Street stands today.

This is an ambitious and daringly different production from Kabosh and there are some spine-tingling moments of storytelling and song.

you made my heart soar’ ‘magnificent show; haunting, moving, atmospheric, will linger in the mind for a long while’ ‘a beautiful, haunting piece of theatre in a fantastic location

CREATIVE TEAM

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belfast
by moonlight