Stories inspired by Belfast's homeless to be told in outdoor theatre shows

"There are many ways a person could become homeless, so we decided to bring just some of their stories together, so our fictional tales are built on reality, the situations are true"

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An innovative production inspired by the remarkable stories of the homeless community in Belfast is set to take the form of a walking tour of the city.

Belfast based Three’s Theatre Company, has announced the return of their 2019 production These Streets which has been remounted for 2021 as a Belfast City Centre walking tour experience.

These Streets was created when company Artistic Director Anna Leckey was shocked by the fact that nearly 150 people who were homeless died in Northern Ireland in 2019 , within an 11-month period. Homelessness and the lack of housing is a huge issue in Northern Ireland, an issue that is normally overlooked.

After interviewing people who have been and currently are experiencing homelessness, their stories were amalgamated to create two 45 minute tales of the city - ‘Dinosaur’ and ‘Ice-Cream’. Dinosaur is a story of street homelessness, life in a hostel and addiction. Ice-Cream tackles hidden homelessness and a relationship that was too good to be true. The outdoor theatre experience will start and end at St Anne’s Square, Belfast.

These Streets is the edited version of Three’s Theatre Company’s production which was developed last year as part of World Homeless Awareness Day 10th October. Originally funded by Arts and Business NI through their partnership investment programme in partnership with the OutsideIN a streetwear brand fuelled by social impact and charity Simon Community NI and staged at The Mac, Belfast. The 2021 run of the production is funded by Arts Council of Northern Ireland, with 10% of ticket sales will go directly to Simon Community NI.

Anna Leckey, Artistic Director for Three’s Theatre Company, said: “We are proud to bring These Streets back to audiences in 2021, with the support from Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The shocking static that nearly 150 people died on Belfast City streets in 2019 encouraged me to develop a production which highlights the city’s homeless issue.

"There are many ways a person could become homeless, so we decided to bring just some of their stories together, so our fictional tales are built on reality, the situations are true. Through our ‘choice theatre’ approach our fantastic writers Colm G Doran and Gina Donnelly along with the incredible voice talent of Brendan Quinn & Adele Gribbon - we hope that These Streets can support with the very much needed catalyst for change.”

The Arts Council’s is supporting this production through its Stability and Renewal Programme, with funding from the Department of Communities. Caoileann Curry-Thompson, Dance and Drama Officer, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented: “Over the last number of years Three’s Theatre has continued to push boundaries, building a strong reputation for producing innovative, topical drama.

"At a time when our venues and theatres remain closed, and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic continues to be felt across all sections of society, These Streets will bring the stories of some of our most vulnerable citizens to audiences this January and provoke much-needed discourse around this important issue.”

Ciaran Corr, from Simon Community NI, said:“These Streets is a fantastic production and we would encourage as many people as possible to see it. We are very grateful to Three’s Theatre Company for their support. For many people, the stereotype of homelessness is someone sleeping rough on the streets. However, this is not the reality, particularly here in Northern Ireland.

"Thankfully, we don’t have the same level of street homelessness experienced in other parts of the UK and Ireland, but that doesn't mean that the homelessness crisis is any less severe in Northern Ireland.”

These Streets will run from Sundays 4pm & 6pm from February 21st - March 14th, tickets price is £8 (plus booking fee) and age guidance: 14+ (some strong language and adult references).

For further information including booking visit www.threestheatrecompany.com.