New political drama at the Lyric Theatre marks 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement

In the 25 th anniversary year of the Good Friday Agreement, the Lyric Theatre, as part of Imagine! Belfast Festival 2023, presents a new political drama Agreement from Sat 25 March - Sat 22 April.

This major new play, commissioned by Michael Grandage Company (MGC), has been written by one of Belfast’s foremost playwrights Owen McCafferty, and is directed by Charlotte Westenra, with set and costume design by Conor Murphy.

It examines the negotiations leading up to the Good Friday Agreement and weaves real drama out of this complex, momentous and landmark moment for Northern Ireland.

The clock is ticking. It’s April 1998 and the main political parties in Northern Ireland, the British Government and the Irish Government, all under the watchful eye of Senator George Mitchell, try to hammer out a deal that could pave the way for peace in Northern Ireland.

Every word, every movement, every stare means something. This is the last chance saloon and no one is leaving until Agreement is reached one way or another.

The stage is set for this political masterpiece which includes a stellar cast line up featuring Richard Croxford as Senator George Mitchell, Dan Gordon as John Hume, Andrea Irvine as Mo Mowlam, and Packy Lee as Gerry Adams.

The Lyric will also be hosting a number of discussions based on key themes within the play.

These will include a special pre-show event hosted by the Irish Association to discuss how culture and arts have provided opportunities for dialogue, engagement and encounter since the GFA was negotiated.

Writer Owen McCafferty, said: “We all spend a good deal of our lives negotiating. It’s how we solve the problems that confront us in our relationships with others. These negotiations always follow the same pattern. A problem arises and we blame the other and in return they blame us. There is a standoff. At this point a decision must be made. Do you continue to blame the other for the existence of the problem or do you realise you are part of the problem.?The former leads to a breakdown in the relationship and the latter leads to negotiation – and the possibility of resolution.”

Visit www.lyrictheatre.co.uk.