Other notable roles include ‘John Crazy Horse’ in Dog DLA Afternoon and ‘Dave’ in David Hull’s production of Dirty Dusting , both at Grand Opera House Belfast and Three Sisters at the Lyric Theatre. It constantly seems to be ordinary people taking it upon themselves to raise money or awareness,” he added. Horse wants to support his friend Davy, but he's also getting it in the ear from Suzie because she needs her Balenciaga sliders and dermal fillers and whatnot. But they clearly haven’t and they joke about there not being enough nudity in the play for Matthew McElhinney’s liking. Jo Donnelly adds: “It’s lovely in this show to have no fear, you just have to let go of preconceptions.”

The Dundonald Liberation Army has announced they are standing for election and want you to cast your votes when they take to the stage of the Grand Opera House later this year. Actors Matthew McIhinney and Matt Forsythe return to the roles they originated in 2019's hit Dog DLA Afternoon – in which the DLA's attempt to stage a bank heist went farcically wrong – and the online 2020 Christmas-themed sequel Jingle All The DLA, which found Davy (McElhinney) and Horse (Forsythe) connecting via Zoom to share their experiences of the Covid pandemic. I try to take everything that crops up and look at it from both points of view through these characters. It is a lot of fun because you wouldn't get away with saying some of the things that these guys say in real life.If someone's saying 'I'm not going to watch that, I don't like politics', trust me: there's a lot more to it than that.” He took the helm as community director on We’ll Walk Hand in Hand, a large community outreach project and stage play exploring Civil Rights in Northern Ireland. His recent production of Betrothed appeared at Belfast’s Grand Opera House to a completely sold-out run. He is also working on bringing to stage the story of the world-famous Dead Rabbit bar in New York.

The loss of his younger brother and his friend, followed soon after by the pandemic, made for a very difficult time in the playwright’s life. However, he found solace in his work, and he hopes that the new show next week will be able to provide a measure of respite for some in the audience. Just a few months after the hostile takeover, there had been unconfirmed reports that a rebel force was assembling within Dundonald. The area had always felt the presence of paramilitary activity, with organisations such as the C.Y.M. (Cherryhill Young Militants), the D.V.F. (Dundonald Village Florists) and the O.M.D. (Old Mill Defenders) in operation at different times. As for the plot of their latest DLA outing, Large says that it's "my take on the pandemic – but moreso". If the comedy is broad, it needs to move along, as in Mrs Brown’s Boys. In fact, this show might make a decent half-hour comedy on the box.In mid-September of the same year, the DLA army council released a statement through a local tabloid (the Dundonald Voyeur) which voiced their opposition to Lisburn occupation and outlined their demands. The organisation’s main objectives were to end Lisburn rule in Dundonald, reunify the borough of Castlereagh and establish an independent people’s republic in Dundonald. The group were said to be particularly aggrieved at Lisburn’s phony claim over their beloved International Ice Bowl (or Icey) and it was this move that propelled them into an armed struggle. Talking to the Vote DLA gang in an otherwise empty studio space at the Grand Opera House, it’s clear they are having fun with the climactic show. They even put up Vote DLA posters round town in the run-up to the recent council elections, maybe confusing some voters in the process. He’s been a writer on Radio Ulster’s award-winning A Perforated Ulster for the past six series, while his sitcom pilot Meet the McMelters debuted on the same station in October 2021.

The CYM could be considered as the forerunners to the DLA after they smuggled the first consignment of Super Soakers into the area during the early Nineties. The DVF took a no nonsense approach to the vandalizing of flower beds belonging to local residents, while the short-lived OMD disbanded over regrets they had named themselves after an Eighties new wave synth group.

Team

But although it gained audience applause, I’m not sure the Tina Turner Simply the Best sequence, with beautiful tribute photo and dates of the late great singer, entirely worked. There have been so many personal and professional highs that have peppered with these devastating lows, which take time to process and recover from. But the writing and seeing the shows has been great. And I've needed that, personally. It keeps you going.”