Irish premiere

Prime Cut Productions in association with Belfast Pride announce the Irish Premiere of Vincent River by Philip Ridley. Directed by Sophie Motley (assistant director at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin), Vincent River is the theatrical highlight of the 2010 Pride Festival



Previewing at the Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast on the 2nd August and opening on the 3rd, the production transfers to The Project Arts Centre Dublin for a two week run before performances in The Alley Theatre, Strabane, The Market Place Armagh and The Playhouse in Derry/ Londonderry.



In the last 2 years 248 homophobic hate crimes were reported in Belfast.

Homophobic hate crime is still a significant factor in the lives of many Lesbian, Gay and Bi-sexual people, with more than 20% of respondents in recent research carried out by the Rainbow Project indicating they have experienced some form of homophobic hate crime in the past 3 years. The PSNI define Homophobic Hate Crime as ‘any crime which is perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by homophobia’. Homophobic hate incidents have a devastating effect on victims and those who fear becoming a victim.





Emma Jordan Executive Director of Prime Cut said:

‘We are delighted to be producing this important play in association with Belfast Pride. The play deals with the aftermath of a hate crime, and whilst we do not see it as our job to address social issues we realise the unique power theatre has in revealing the human experience behind the headlines. We will be exploring further the themes in the production with a variety of ancillary events such as our outreach workshops and post show discussions. In a utopian world such issues would bear no relevance to everyday life in Northern Ireland but as evidenced in our daily news reports, sadly this is not the case’



40 years on from the legalisation of Homosexuality, Vincent River is an exploration of the devastating effects of hate crime. Starring award-winning Northern Irish actor Eleanor Methven (Anita) alongside Bangor born Kerr Logan (Davey), this is a beautifully written thriller exploring the classic Ridley themes of sexuality, family, loss and the redemptive power of story telling.