Christmas is over, New Year’s is long gone, and now we’re faced with the cold and difficult month of January. But don’t despair, there’s one bright beacon of light that shines in the form of the annual Out to Lunch Festival and it’s running until 31st January to help banish your winter blues. Check out the full timetable here.
The premise is simple, you get to tuck into some fantastic grub alongside a bite-sized chunk of first rate entertainment to help liven up your lunch break at a variety of locations across the Cathedral Quarter and beyond. Some events are in the evening too, so don’t panic if you can’t make it to an afternoon show.
With so many events running throughout January, here’s our top picks to make sure you don’t miss out on something spectacular…
1. TEN x 9
The Black Box
Wednesday 13th January, 7.30pm
Tenx9 is a storytelling night where 9 people have up to ten minutes each to tell a true story from their lives. Tenx9 began in Belfast in 2011 and now has 9 satellite locations around the world – from Chile to Holland, the USA to Scotland.
For Out to Lunch, come join us for 9 true stories about food. A story about food you ate, food you wish you never ate, Food you’ve eaten, food you wish you’d never eaten, a memorable meal, a missed meal, taking food from someone, taking food to someone.
Free Admission – No Booking Required
Doors 7.15pm | First story 7.45pm | Unreserved Seating
2. Jellyfish
The Black Box
Sunday 17th January, 8pm
Growing up, we were promised the world. What happened? This bombastic one-woman show will rollercoaster you through 10 years in one life from Belfast to London. Fuelled by the rawness of the city, it’s about questioning everything while the whole world crumbles around us.
An intimate explosion of confessional new writing about what it is to be young and alive, Alice will guide you on a journey through this effervescent chaos.
Following it’s premiere in Tiger Dublin Fringe 2015 and successful performances in Foundation Arts Festival and Rich Mix, London, Alice and Sarah are thrilled to be bringing Jellyfish to Belfast.
Jellyfish was longlisted for the Verity Bargate Award 2015 and Alice won the Tiger Dublin Fringe Wild Card Award 2015.
Tickets £7 | Doors 7.45pm | Unreserved Seating
3. Francesca Martinez – What the F**K is Normal?
The Black Box
Thursday 21st January, 1pm
What happens when you’re branded ‘abnormal’, in a world obsessed with normality?
This show is Francesca’s defiant, insightful and fascinating answer… Intrigued by the power that a six-letter word has over so many people, Francesca shares her own life-changing journey of growing up as ‘abnormal’, being rescued from High-School-Hell by Grange Hill, letting Ricky Gervais take the piss out of her walk in Extras and working out what to say to the BBC after being offered the role of a, ahem, vegetable.
Whatever body you’re born into, it seems that most people share the universal desire to be ‘normal’.
This show is for anyone who’s ever struggled to fit in, felt ‘different’ or wondered what the **** normal means? Apart from a cycle on a washing machine, of course.
Tickets £6.50 (including lunch) or £7 on the door| Doors 12:45pm | Unreserved Seating
4. Secret Cabaret
It’s a Secret
Saturday 23rd January, 8pm
The venue’s a secret. The line-up is a secret. It’s a pot luck of performance art.
Why not give yourself over to chance. Put your trust in Seedhead Arts and Infinite Jest and let them take you to a pop up venue for a melting pot of genre, skill and audience experience like you’ve never had before.
We’ve only a small number of tickets for an intimate performance with four of Belfast’s finest performers. Admission is by ticket only and ticket holders will be emailed the venue (somewhere in the Cathedral Quarter) on the morning of the event.
NB. This is a pop-up grass roots cabaret. Don’t be expecting dudes in Top Hats, velvet curtains or can can dancers, just expect four awesome performers somewhere you wouldn’t expect.
Due to the pop up nature of Secret Cabaret we can’t guarantee that it will be fully accessible so if you have any doubt or questions please contact info@seedheadarts.com
Tickets £12 |Doors 7.45pm | Unreserved Seating
