The Ulster Drama Festival is set to captivate audiences once again with its eclectic line-up of theatrical performances.
Running from Monday 20th to Saturday 25th April 2026, this year's festival promises to be a celebration of talent, creativity, and the power of storytelling. Now in its 72nd year, the festival has become a cornerstone of the local arts scene, showcasing the best in both established and emerging talent. With thought-provoking dramas, true stories, and celebrated classics there will be something for everyone at this year's festival.
Monday 20th April
The Dead - Newpoint Players
James Joyce (adapted by Sean Treanor)
Adaption of James Joyce's renowned short story.
There will be no interval in this production.
In the great canon of Irish short stories, there is none more renowned than Joyce's "The Dead". In this adaptation, Newpoint have tried to bring to the fore the changing nature of 1905 Ireland, the growing influence of the Gaelic Revival, the changing social balance, the conflicts between Empire and Nation, the important and unsettling Suffragist/Republican movement and the frustrations and disappointments of apparently minor characters, who are victims of class and of persisting mores and values.
A beautiful song is central to the original story. This stage adaptation extends the use of live music and singing as a means of recreating the generally nostalgic, but sometimes angry or tortured undercurrents experienced by individuals and by the Dublin middle class society of the era. Many of the characters are haunted by ghosts of the past. And now, for us, they and their environs are ghosts of a long-lost time.
The amateur production of "The Dead" is presented by arrangement with Sean Treanor.
📍Venue: The Courtyard Theatre
📅Date: 20 April 2026
⏰Time: 8.00pm
🎟️Tickets: £16.50 & £14.50 (Concession)
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Tuesday 21st April
Steel Magnolias - Bart Players
Robert Harling
A heart-warming, poignant comedy-drama.
Truvy’s beauty salon is where everyone goes to have their hair done. The outspoken, wise-cracking Truvy dispenses shampoo and free advice to the town’s rich curmudgeon Ouiser, (“I’m not crazy, I’ve just been in a bad mood for forty years.”), an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee, and the local social leader, M’Lynn, whose daughter Shelby is about to marry. Filled with hilarious repartee and several acerbic verbal collisions, the comedy moves toward tragedy when Shelby risks her life in a dangerous pregnancy. Confronted with mortality, the ladies draw together to find strength – and love – in the wake of tragedy.
This amateur production of “Steel Magnolias” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk
📍Venue: The Courtyard Theatre
📅Date: 21 April 2026
⏰Time: 8.00pm
🎟️Tickets: £16.50 & £14.50 (Concession)
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Wednesday 22nd April
Bouncers - Belvoir Players
John Godber
A darkly comic play about the gatekeepers' view of nightclub customers.
Strong Language & Adult Themes.
First performed at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1977, Bouncers has been translated into many languages and has enjoyed world-wide success. The director of this production has acted in four different versions of the play and, with permission, has made a few adjustments to the original script in order to make the play resonate more with today's Festival audiences.
It tells the story of one night at a popular nightclub, told through the eyes of four bouncers We see other points of view too, as the actors give life to around thirty other comic caricatures who, for various reasons, come to the nightclub door.
📍Venue: The Courtyard Theatre
📅Date: 22 April 2026
⏰Time: 8.00pm
🎟️Tickets: £16.50 & £14.50 (Concession)
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Thursday 23rd April
Sylvia - Slemish Players
A R Gurney
A buoyant and funny play about relationships.
Contains Some Strong Language.
Greg and Kate have moved to Manhattan after raising a family. Greg’s career as a financial trader is winding down, while Kate’s, as an English teacher, is offering more opportunities. Greg brings home a dog he finds in the park – or that has found him – “Sylvia”. Sylvia becomes a major bone of contention between husband and wife. She offers Greg an escape from the frustrations of his job and middle age. To Kate, Sylvia becomes a rival for affection and Sylvia thinks Kate doesn’t understand the relationship between man and dog.
This amateur production of "Sylvia" is presented by arrangement with Broadway Licensing.
📍Venue: The Courtyard Theatre
📅Date: 23 April 2026
⏰Time: 8.00pm
🎟️Tickets: £16.50 & £14.50 (Concession)
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Friday 24th April
Deathtrap - Holywood Players
Ira Levin
The plot has "more twists than a bent corkscrew" (The Guardian).
This production contains scenes of violence, use of weapons, and a loud gunshot sound. It is not suitable for children under the age of 12. Parental discretion is advised.
In this dark comedic thriller, washed-up playwright Sidney Bruhl is broke and suffering a severe case of writer’s block. When Clifford, a student from a writing seminar, shows him a brilliant script, Sidney sees a Broadway hit and path to redemption. But credit means everything - and if Clifford refuses to share it, how far will Sidney go to reclaim success?
The genre-defining works of playwright and novelist Ira Levin (1929-2007) include such landmark titles as Rosemary's Baby, The Stepford Wives, The Boys from Brazil and Deathtrap — the longest-running thriller in Broadway history. With unparalleled versatility that finds him at home in nearly every genre — horror (Rosemary’s Baby), crime (Edgar-winning A Kiss Before Dying), science fiction (This Perfect Day), comedy (No Time for Sergeants), even a Broadway musical (Drat! The Cat!) — Levin's enduring works continue to speak to contemporary readers and audiences, serving as iconic cultural and creative touchstones. Levin’s official website is www.IraLevin.org.
This amateur production of "Deathtrap" is presented by arrangement with Creative Artists Agency, New York.
📍Venue: The Courtyard Theatre
📅Date: 24 April 2026
⏰Time: 8.00pm
🎟️Tickets: £16.50 & £14.50 (Concession)
🚩Age: 12 + Parental discretion is advised.
Saturday 25th April
Doubt: A Parable - Enniskillen Theatre Co.
John Patrick Stanley
Explores themes of uncertainty, morality, and the complexities of human relationships in a school.
Reference to Child Sex Abuse.
"Doubt: A Parable" is set in a Catholic school in the Bronx in 1964. The story centres on Sister Aloysius Beauvier, a strict and conservative nun, who is the school’s Principal, and Father Flynn, a priest who advocates a more progressive approach to education and faith. When Sister James, a young teacher, expresses concern that Father Flynn may have developed an inappropriate relationship with Donald Muller, a black student, Sister Aloysius is convinced of his guilt – though she lacks proof.
This amateur production of "Doubt: A Parable" is presented by arrangement with Creative Artists Agency, New York.
📍Venue: The Courtyard Theatre
📅Date: 25 April 2026
⏰Time: 7.30pm
🎟️Tickets: £16.50 & £14.50 (Concession)
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Book for all six nights and enjoy a 20% discount. Definitely not to be missed.
Admission: £16.50 & £14.50 (Concession)
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