Kane Stonestreet

Bbeyond New Commissions artist Kane Stonestreet will make a Live Performance as part of the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival at Flax Art Project Space from 7pm to 8.30pm on Thursday the 4th of May 2023.

 

Kane Stonestreet (b. 1992, Lancs) is a multidisciplinary performance artist. Their practice is informed by visual art histories, from their time at Glasgow School of Art (2012-2015) where they specialised in Sculpture & Environmental Art. Their art school punk band Pennycress led them to DIY subcultures. They toured North America with Joanna Gruesome, screamed on Shetland with Damn Teeth and sang about roast dinners with Cat Apostrophe.

On their 26th birthday, stonestreet performed with their close friend Joseph Morgan Schofield. This ritual with talc and ice transformed into a project about their queer siblinghood. They spent time on a residency at ]performances p a c e[ and performed at VFD, London and Sprungturm Festival, Darmstadt.

Their project Holding (Qualities of Loss) (a performance between their body, a block of ice and a site) was adapted for digital presentation as part of R-A-W, a digital exhibition from Bbeyond. The project’s latest offering, a work entitled Holding (open), was a part of Live Art Ireland and Bbeyond’s Convergence festival and will be performed at Emergency in Manchester.

In 2021, they initiated and co-led a residency project entitled Collective Attention: Anarchic Action with Eleanor Dalzell Jenyns. Through weekly workshops 7 artists shared their practices and developed a communal language. The project culminated in a 4 hour performance at Ugly Duck. In these shared actions, stonestreet hopes to find new qualities of engagement and entanglement.

https://kanestonestreet.com
 
BBEYOND IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANISATION SUPPORTED BY THE ARTS COUNCIL OF NORTHERN IRELAND | LOTTERY FUND | REG. CHARITY NO. NIC102867

Bricolage – Circusful (Gordon St.)

Bricolage brings together a selection of new works by some of Ireland’s freshest up and coming artists for an evening that promises to be unlike anything you’ve seen before.

Part living, moving art installation, part aerial and circus performance –Bricolage is the brainchild of Belfast based aerialist Emmen Donnelly and will transform the warehouse space of Circusful into a dreamlike landscape inhabited by roving human creatures on the ground and in the air.

This re-imagined cabaret will feature Dublin based acrobats Anja Nicholson and Jonah McGreevy from Loosysmokes, renowned for their evocative site-specific work; Chloe Commins whose piece talks about growing up as a child of deaf parents; Sacha Krohnone of Ireland’s only aerial straps artists; local juggler extraordinaire Jacob Anderson and Monika Palova and Sean McIlraith with a duo performance on themes of female experiences and relationships, explored through duo aerial rope and the rarely seen art of hair hanging.

Bricolage is supported by Arts Council Ireland

Rob Auton: The Crowd Show

The Crowd Show is a comedy/theatre/spoken word show about crowds, people and connection. The Crowd Show is a show suitable for anybody who has been in a crowd or wants to be in the crowd for this show.

Rob Auton is an award-winning writer, actor and podcaster, named the “Brian Cox of Comedy” by the Guardian.

Rob has written eight hit Edinburgh Fringe shows, which have led to nationwide tours and television/radio appearances. Rob has had four collections of poetry and illustrations published byBurning Eye Books and Harper Collins.

In 2020, Rob started The Rob Auton Daily Podcast which went on to amass over two million listens and win a gold award for Best Daily Podcast at the British Podcast Awards.

Doors 7.30pm | Unreserved seating

‘A genuine original. Poetical, philosophical, humane, completely charming and funny to boot.’  – THE GUARDIAN

‘Makes laughter out of wonder and brings us all together. We need him.’  –THE SCOTSMAN

‘Something that’ll leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy round the edges.’  – THE HERALD

‘Brilliant.’ –  STEWART LEE

Saphwat Simab + Junaid Ali + guests

Celebrating the music of Afghanistan and Beyond

Saphwat Simab (Rubab virtuoso)
An official disciple of the world’s foremost Rubab master, Ustad Homayoun Sakhi of Afghanistan, Saphwat Simab is a British-born-and-bred artist who has been learning and playing the Rubab since the age of 10.

Saphwat’s tone and melodious playing has captured the hearts of audiences at every performance, his on-stage confidence and command on the instrument as well as his command on the rhythmic cycles whilst improvising in any composition with the Tabla accompaniment is mesmerising.

Saphwat has been accompanied on stage by some of the world’s most renowned Tabla masters, such as Ustad Sukhvinder Singh “Pinky”, Pandit Sanju Sahai and Ustad Shahbaz Hussain.

He has performed at some prestigious venues, such as the Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall, the National Court Theatre, and the Nehru Centre, as well as at some other relevant venues in the UK, Germany, Switzerland and Canada.

JUNAID ALI
Junaid is a tabla player amongst the younger generation. Being born and raised in London, Junaid is the student of Ustad Shahbaz Hussain and the son of Ustad Zeeshan Ali, a prominent ghazal singer. Junaid is a young exponent of the Punjab and Delhi Gharana of Tabla. Junaid hopes to carry on the legacy of his teacher and grand-father gurus, namely: Ustad Faiyyaz Khan, Ustad Allarakha Khan and Ustad Mian Shaukat Hussain Khan.

In partnership with Alghochak (Afghan Association) & Beyond Skin.

Under the current regime in Afghanistan music is forbidden. This event is Belfast sharing its City of Music status to preserve and celebrate Afghan culture.

Fern Brady: Strong Female Character (Book Launch)

Fern Brady will be in conversation about her brand new memoir, Strong Female Character. Fern will be in conversation discussing the different facets of Strong Female Character including growing up as a working-class Scottish woman, her comedy career, and her autism diagnosis.

About Strong Female Character:
If you’ve ever been on a night out where you got blackout drunk and have laughed the next day as your friends tell you all the stupid stuff you said, that’s what being autistic feels like for me: one long blackout night of drinking, except there’s no socially sanctioned excuse for your gaffes and no one is laughing.

A summary of my book: 1. I’m diagnosed with autism 20 years after telling a doctor I had it. 2. My terrible Catholic childhood: I hate my parents etc. 3. My friendship with an elderly man who runs the corner shop and is definitely not trying to groom me. I get groomed. 4. Homelessness. 5. Stripping. 6. More stripping but with more nervous breakdowns. 7. I hate everyone at uni and live with a psycho etc. 8. REDACTED as too spicy. 9. After everyone tells me I don’t look autistic, I try to cure my autism and get addicted to Xanax. 10. REDACTED as too embarrassing.

Fern Brady Author
Fern Brady is a woman. She is also autistic. She was born in Scotland (no, not Glasgow). She has no presets for being a ‘good woman’ – she never hated her body or indulged in messy millennial shame. She now lives out of wedlock in London. She has zero children.

Fern’s caustic wit, exceptional writing and electric stage craft has made her one of the UK’s hottest comedy stars. As seen on Live from the BBC, Live from the Comedy Store, The Russell Howard Hour, and Live at the Apollo. She’s had viral success with her BBC Life Lessons and supported Frankie Boyle and Katherine Ryan on tour. She was recently a contestant on Taskmaster on Channel 4.

Doors 7.30pm | Unreserved seating

Boris

Japan’s legendary BORIS are greeting their 30-year career as one of experimental music’s most forward-thinking, heavy, and innovative bands.  Continuing to expand their prolific catalog, the group returns with Heavy Rocks (2022) (via Relapse Records) and once again channels the classic proto-metal sounds of the 70’s into something all new.

Boris formed in 1992 and eventually arrived at the band’s current lineup of Takeshi, Wata, and Atsuo in 1996.  In the years since, Boris has tirelessly explored their own rendition of what is heavy through methods entirely their own.

Though the depths of their “heaviness” may intensify, their unique musicianship defies classification in any one genre or style, so let’s just call it real “heavy music” in extreme color. Their music has been called a “game changer” – at the leading edge of the world’s rock scene, and that influence is limitless.

They enter realms that cannot be described simply in terms of the “explosive sound” or “thunderous roars” that have become their trademark.

Recently, the group ramped up during the pandemic and released the most extreme album of their long and widely celebrated career, NO, a self-released the album, desiring to get it out as quickly as possible but intentionally called the final track on the album “Interlude” while planning its follow-up.

It’s successor came with W, their 2022 release for Sacred Bones RecordsNO and W weave together to form NOW, a duo of releases that respond to one another. In following their hardest album with this sensuous thundering masterpiece they are creating a continuous circle of harshness and healing, one that seems more relevant now than ever and shows the band operating at an apex of their musical career.

Doors 7.30pm | Mostly Standing

 

in partnership with the Japan Foundation

Benefits

An issues-based music collective from Teesside in the North East of England. ‘We write songs about the urgencies that concern us. These songs are loud.’

Forming in 2019 and consisting of Kingsley Hall on vocals, Robbie Major  and Hugh Major on synths and noise with Cat Myers on drums, they quickly evolved from a fairly standard IDLES-lite shouty punk rock outfit to a highly politicised group that merges noise, hip hop, industrial rock, electronica, garage and an angry twitter feed to get it’s point across.

A resolutely DIY outfit and despite having little radio play (due to the nature of their lyrics),through their releases they have managed to gain fans as diverse as Sleaford Mods, Black Francis, Garbage, Billy Bragg and Elijah Wood as well as getting significant features in the NME, Rolling Stone, and the Quietus.

Now a formidable live outfit with numerous sold out shows and tours under their belt they aim to keep the momentum going into 2023.

Doors 7.30pm | Mostly Standing 

Ferna

From the North Coast of Ireland, ferna tells the stories that otherwise get lost in the noise.

On a mission to amplify quiet sentiments and shift focus to hidden characters, ferna delivers a remarkable sound that merges the organic and the electronic, filled with conflicting emotions, fragile beauty and powerful hooks.

The musical alias of composer & singer-songwriter Hannah McPhillimyferna has performed alongside the likes of Foy Vance and The Gloaming, and more recently took home the NI Music Prize for Single of the Year for her first official single Wasting.

To celebrate the release of her debut album Understudyferna will perform a rare full-band show in the iconic setting of the Belfast Empire.

‘the future’s bright for ferna’ – BBC INTRODUCING

‘a bit of a wonder’ – THE IRISH TIMES

‘Beautiful and arresting’ – RADIO NOVA

Doors 7.30pm | Mostly Seated

Kate Rusby

Kate Rusby, hailed as the ‘First Lady of Folk’ and a Mercury Music accolade to her name, has forged an impressive 30-year, headlining career.

A folk singer at heart, she’s taken the genre to new heights appealing way beyond the folk scene and her Yorkshire roots, headlining in the UK and internationally, performing with other big names in music across genres.

She has a number of TV, radio and film credits to her name as well as her own record company and a festival, Underneath the Stars.

2023 brings to a close a year of celebrating 30 years in the business with a new album ’30 : Happy Returns’ featuring guests: Richard HawleyKT Tunstall and Ladysmith Black Mambazo to name a few.

This follows the success of her 2020 Top 10 charting covers album Hand Me Down. Kate will be joined on stage by her band, each a virtuoso in their own right including her husband and producer Damien O’ Kane.

Doors 7.30pm | Unreserved Seating

LoneLady

Julie Campbell, known as LoneLady, is an artist from Manchester. Her music is influenced by the post-punk era, later integrating dance and funk influences.

Self-taught on many instruments including guitar, bass, synths, drum machines and later learning cello, Julie writes all the parts and plays all the instruments on her recordings, with the exception of real drums.

Created on electronic sequencers, synths and drum machines in a basement bunker beneath Somerset House, London, LoneLady’s 3rd studio album Former Things is a tour-de-force of punch-and-crunch electro, r’n’b and pop, shot through with mournful eulogies to the lost golden age of childhood and youth.

She has released 3 critically-acclaimed albums on Warp: Nerve Up (2010), Hinterland (2015) and Former Things (2021).

LoneLady’s influences include Nico, Colin Newman, Joy Division, Cabaret Voltaire, A Certain Ratio, Public Image Ltd. and Gang Of Four.

Doors 8.45pm | Mostly Standing

Not Now

Not Now is a sharply written, heartfelt comedy about the past, identity and moving on – from David Ireland – the multi-award-winning author of Cyprus Avenue.

You’re an Irish Daniel Radcliffe.”
“I’m British!”
“You’re a British Daniel Radcliffe. From Ireland.”

The morning after his father’s funeral, an unsure and still grief-stricken Matthew prepares to fly to London to audition for the prestigious drama school, RADA.

When his painter-decorator Uncle Ray interrupts his private rendition of Richard III’s opening monologue to offer some unwanted direction and dubious career advice, Matthew starts to doubt whether he should really be leaving Belfast in the first place.

Or is Belfast where he truly belongs?

David Ireland’s dialogue is nonstop sparkle; the development of the play is beautifully judged in Max Elton’s production, as the boy (Matthew Blaney) moves from gangle and sullenness to candour and the uncle (Stephen Kennedy) from joviality to reluctant disclosure.

There is, as always with Ireland, an unflinching look at Protestant politics, but Not Now adds different notes. His greatest play so far, Cyprus Avenue, was a satire fuelled by an imaginative flight of which Jonathan Swift would have been proud. This drama has a new warmth. It also clinches on a beautiful reanimation of Shakespeare’s words about changing “dreadful marches to delightful measures”. The Guardian. Review of  Glasgow production.

★★★★★Five Stars, London Theatre 1


★★★★★Five Stars, Close Up Culture


★★★★The Guardian

★★★★Four Stars, The Observer


★★★★Four Stars, The Stage


★★★★Four Stars, Daily Mail


★★★★Four Stars, Morning Star


Off West End Award Nomination for LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY Matthew Blaney


Off West End Award Nomination for LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY Stephen Kennedy

This production was first produced in association with Neil McPherson at the Finborough Theatre’

Approximately 50 minutes with no intervals.

Production Team

Director: MAX ELTON
Designer: CECI CALF
Sound Designer and Composer: JACK BAXTER
Lighting Designer: MATTIS LARSON
Associate Producer: BRIAR KNOWLES
Producer: SARAH ROY

Supported By

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The Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival and Out To Lunch are annual festivals of music, comedy, theatre, art and literature which take place in January and May in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

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Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival / Out To Lunch Arts Festival
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Northern Whig House
Bridge Street
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BT1 1LU