08 May 2012

The Ulster Hall 150th birthday festival is now underway with a packed programme of over 40 events taking place in the iconic venue until 9 June.

Local people are already flooding through the doors to enjoy live music, films, talks and lectures, exhibitions, themed workshops for children and more… all celebrating The Ulster Hall’s past, present and future!

Tickets to most events are under £10 with many free of charge, so there has never been a better time to visit The Ulster Hall and join in the celebrations!

Festival highlights include: the World Première of Good Vibrations; Fifteen Minute Theatre Festival; Paul Robeson - Un-American and Showboat; Fifteen Second Film Festival; Fightin’ Talk; Contenders and a special concert Celebrating 150 Years of the Mulholland Grand Organ.

Good Vibrations World Première
Be the first to see the very first screening of the movie (Thursday 31 May) recounting the life of Terri Hooley, Northern Ireland’s godfather of Punk, from the opening of his Good Vibrations record shop in 1970s Belfast to his mission to create an alternative Ulster with his record label of the same name.

Fifteen Minute Theatre Festival
Accidental Theatre presents a mixture of miniature theatre performances over two nights (Wednesday 9 - Thursday 10 May) courtesy of ten of the best Irish theatre companies with each company performing a 15 minute piece. Five companies are featured each night: Kabosh; Wireless Mystery Theatre; Mary-Frances Doherty; Aisling Ghéar; Fishamble perform on 9 May. Tinderbox Theatre Company; Theatre Without Walls; Accidental Theatre; Spark Opera and Sumaire perform on 10 May.

Fightin’ Talk Tuesday 15 May
Countless nights of unforgettable boxing have taken place at The Ulster Hall, including famous wins and crushing defeats. Hosted by boxing historian, Barry Flynn, Fightin’ Talk is an evening of passionate recounting and reminiscing with boxers who have fought at the venue and featuring footage from some of the most famous fights. Admission is free.

Paul Robeson: Un-American and Showboat Saturday 12 May
Legendary actor, singer and civil rights campaigner, Paul Robeson, first performed at The Ulster Hall in 1936. Un-American sees The Sons of Robert Mitchum and guest vocalists Victoria Geelan and Elizabeth McGeown perform Robeson’s classic songs such as Wade in the Water and Ol’ Man River.

Paul Robeson stars in his most famous screen role in Showboat (also Saturday 12 May) - the celebrated movie chronicling the lives and loves of the performers on a Mississippi showboat. See both Un-American and Showboat for just £8.

Fifteen Second Film Festival Tuesday 8 May
Fifteen Second Film Festival is a series of new and exciting 15-second micro-shorts, along with a few older classics, while a panel of industry experts talk about the processes involved in short movie-making. The panel experts are: Greg Maguire (visual effects for Avatar); Christine Morrow (short film co-ordinator, NI screen); Aaron Marshall (Executive producer - 15 second film festival) and Marty Stalker (local independent director/film maker).

Contenders Friday 25 May
Presented in association with the Oh Yeah Music Centre, Contenders is a chance to sample some of the city’s rising music stars on the small stage, featuring Ryan Vail, Silhouette and Katharine Philippa.

Takeover: workshops for children Saturday 26 May
Children can get in on The Ulster Hall’s 150th celebrations too! Takeover is packed with interactive workshops with lots of fun new skills for them to try during: Dickens on Stage drama workshop; Introduction to Street Art; Introduction to Illustration; Mini Moo Decorating; Introduction to Film Making and Storytelling and Treasure Hunt.

Mulholland Grand Organ concert Saturday 9 June
Belfast City Organist, Colm Carey, is joined by the Ulster Orchestra during this special concert to celebrate 150 years of the Mulholland Grand Organ.

These are just some of the events taking place during The Ulster Hall 150th birthday celebrations. Full details of all events are detailed in The Ulster Hall 150th festival programme and online at www.ulsterhall.co.uk

Tickets for all 150th Anniversary festival events are available online, from The Ulster Hall and Waterfront Box Offices and by calling 028 9033 4455.

Advance booking is recommended for free festival events.
Telephone: 028 9033 4455 or visit the Box Office. Ends

Press release issued by: Nicholas Sadlier, PR & Advertising Executive, Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall. Tel: 028 9033 4418 Email: sadliern@waterfront.co.uk

Notes to editors:

There is a Waterfront Credit/Debit card handling charge of £1 per ticket for bookings made by telephone.
A fee of 50p per booking is payable for tickets forwarded by post.
Online bookings attract a charge of just £1.50 per transaction.

Belfast Waterfront and The Ulster Hall are now on Facebook.
Visit us at: www.facebook.com/waterfrontandulsterhall