Year end Open Mic starts festive season of 2018

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Created: 02 December 2018

Pablo Doherty kicked off our last Open Mic of 2018 in great style. Our guest Poet from the shores of Lough Neagh near Lurgan fitted in his energetic performance while also being the taxi driver for his son who played at Holme Park the same evening. It's how busy Daddy/Poets juggle opportunities and parental duties these days. In a twenty minute slot he managed to touch on just about every subject from Family life to Brexit to Sport and even a mention of Santa! On twenty one minutes he grabbed his bag and coat and bolted out the door waving a farewell to all. The son's team were beaten  but Pablo was on a high from staring in Abbey Lane. Well done Pablo!

We also had great contributions from Hilary Good, Michael O'Callaghan,Rachel Toner before the break. Afterwards Armagh Ukelele Jam and T J Smart  nearly stole the show with our night's MC Felim Rafferty finding difficulity getting them stopped. Dymphna Ferran, Tim Hanna Joe Mc Cool and Malachi all with stories and poetry. We then had a very sad announcement by Felim saying the famous Limerick Laugh's competition and the Appulse Meter  would be put to bed tonight. The winner in a very close run event, picked totally by random (reverse alphabetic order) was Tim.

The Management will be working to publish a booklet of Limericks featured in the three years of the compo and have it for sale as a fund raiser to the new extension......watch this space. Thanks to all our contributors and guests over the year and all being well we'll see you back on 25th Jan 2019! Merry Xmas and Happy New Year from all at Armagh Theatre Group.

Finally, the Last Limerick Laughs Compo @ OMN

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Created: 27 November 2018

So we will finally see the back of a historic, iconic,ironic, sardonic,ascerbic and at times comic competition. A competition whose winners wavered between the ages of twelve and eighty. A competition which drew people from as far as Belfast and Belcoo  to win its world renowned prizes...not to mention the kudos gained by having this on your curriculum vitae. 'And winner of ATG's OMN LLC for the month of November 2018 is...'

One could dine out on this for years. There was a wee Woman from... ah! the memories.

Also retiring is the incorruptible, the undisputable Applause Meter which once reached the dizzy sound level of FANTASIC but more often the level NOT BAD, due mainly to an inadvertent thumb over the mic. And so we move  upwards and onwards as we throw open this opportunity for you our faithful to come up with a new competition for Janurary 2019 OMN. All ideas forwarded to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 31st Dec 18.

THE FINAL LIMERICK LAUGHS ON 30TH NOV. THEME 'CHRISTMAS'  ''THERE WAS A WEE MAN AT CHRISTMAS'' your first line.

You Tube clips of our 2 recent One acts

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Created: 26 November 2018

See hilarious scenes from our recent one act's in Abbey Lane by kind permission of Felim Rafferty Jr.  Good work Felim!

Go to; You Tube , Felim Rafferty Jr: and see 'Someone to talk to'  & 'The Happy Journey to Trenton'  Please like or comment.

Looking back to our recent productions in Abbey Lane

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Created: 21 November 2018

Cast of 'The Happy Journey' by Thornton Wilder;  Emily-Jane Conway as 'Caroline' and debutant Liam Loughran as 'Arthur' and Lily-Rose Conway as 'Beulah. Parents Bridie Heaney as 'Ma Kate' and Malachi Kelly as 'Da Elmer' and Tim Hanna as 'Stage Manager.' Producer Felim Rafferty, Lights/sounds  John Perry

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Many thanks to Felim Rafferty Jnr for putting together these clips of rehearsals and performances of 'The Happy Journey'...Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU5PBNgPMuo 

Last Open Mic of 2018 ...30th November!

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Created: 20 November 2018

We end this year's sessions of Open Mic's next week, 30th Nov. Over the course of the year we have had great entertainment from all our contributors. Those brave souls who find themselves standing on stage, behind the Mic. Or sitting on the famous painted chair and giving us their 'all'.

To  our guest artists throughout the months, to the JHISS and the now famous July Open Mic, but especially all our supporters and contributors who reguarly fill Abbey Lane on the last Friday's to launch into poetry, stories, song,music and written. Mainly because of an enthusiasm,a burning desire to entertain, and be entertained....THANK YOU.

We finish the year, as we started in January with Mel McMahon, by welcoming another poet from  Lurgan, spoken word artist Pablo Doherty. Like Mel Paul's work shows incisiveness of the world we live in delivered with humour and fun. So, usual warning of limited seats, nibbles and wine but unlimited talent!

Pablo's window  https://www.facebook.com/pabloshoutingatthesea/.   

We will take this opportunity to wish all our supporters and friends the best of the coming season! (there now, ive said it)

ATG &'What's My Scam' play in Armagh City Hotel

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Created: 11 November 2018

Autumn productions in Abbey Lane Theatre

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Created: 06 November 2018

Armagh Theatre Group’s Autumn production is a double header of One Act plays, brought to its own Abbey Lane Theatre in Armagh, on Thursday 15, Friday 16 and Saturday 17 November 2018 at 8pm  

Someone To Talk To by Michael Judge is an ensemble production with Pat McNally, Madeleine Kelly, Margery Quinn and Malcolm Dawson. In the format of an unconventional radio play reading!

 Two sisters living alone decide to take in a lodger to have “someone to talk to” but be careful what you wish for………………!

Originally cast with the late, and much missed, Una Boylan, ATG are certain she would be delighted that the show is “going on”.

The Happy Journey by Thornton Wilder, produced by Felim Rafferty, is a simple tale. A father, mother and two of their three children drive from Newark, New Jersey to Camden to visit their married daughter. Their journey is punctuated by talk, laughter, memories (some mundane, some happy, some painful), and appreciation of the Now – ham and eggs, flowers, family, sunsets and the joy of being alive. In this family drama, nothing much happens-and yet everything important happens. As Ma Kirby says, “There’s nothin’ like bein’ liked by your family.””

A cast of youth (Lily Conway, Emily Conway & Liam Loughran) combine with older fare (Bridie Heaney, Malachi Kelly & Tim Hanna) in a bitter sweet “road trip” across the America of the 1920’s.

Don’t miss this great night’s entertainment in Armagh’s little gem theatre.

'Women Aloud' are also witty,riveting, punchy & veryvery good

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Created: 31 October 2018

A full evening of wonderful entertainment was enjoyed at a packed Abbey Lane Open Mic Night last Friday.

With 'Women Aloud NI' headlining our evening, it made  our new MC, Tim Hanna's debut, easy peasy.

Doreen Mc Bride, Csilla Toldy, Cathy Cole, Ann Mc Master and Byddi Lee rocked the place. Well done girls and come back anytime.

Other contributors Eugene Greene,

Nuala McKeever and 'Life after death' comes to Abbey Lane.

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Created: 19 October 2018

6.30–7.30pm. THEATRE.
Laugh After Death with Nuala McKeever.
Venue: Abbey Lane Theatre. £8.
The books say there are "ve stages of grief – Denial, Anger,
Bargaining, Depression and Anger. Didn’t go that way for me.
Mine were Crying, Drinking a lot, Feeling guilty about drinking,
Drinking more and Passing Out... and that was just in one evening.
Five years after the sudden death of her partner, Nuala McKeever is
back on stage with a new work that explores the process of coming
back to life after the person you love dies. With dark humour and
savage honesty she lays bare her struggles in an often hilarious
journey from over-thinking to understanding. Part drama, part standup,
Laugh After Death is a deeply personal, ultimately uplifting, story
of one woman’s attempt to #nd peace in free-fall.
Just before the debut of her new show, Laugh After Death, which
opens at the Lyric Theatre on November 7th, we have the opportunity
to hear Nuala present extracts from the piece and talk about the #veyear
process of writing it, with time for questions from the audience.
Nuala McKeever, Northern Ireland’s Queen of Comedy, #rst came to
public attention in the BBC NI sitcom, Give My Head Peace, followed
by her own comedy character show, McKeever, on UTV.

Armagh Theatre Group are proud to be part of this year's John O'Connor Writing School & Literary Arts Festival 2018

LIMITED SEATING ; Tickets from Armagh Visitors Centre 028 37521800 or online www.thejohnoconnorwritingschool.com

Women Aloud N.I. to entertain at October's OMN

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Created: 13 October 2018

Those vibriant, cutting edge writers from Women Aloud NI will be presenting their poetry and prose to our audience at this month's Open Mic Night. This group of very talented scribes have gathered from all parts of N.Ireland to promote their work and encourage female writers, born in or resident of N.Ireland, to get their writing exposed through print, social media, TV/Radio and live performances.

Their subjects are as wide and varied, as deep and humorous, as moving and incisive as life itself. DON'T MISS