A musical drama set in Belfast breaks box office records at the Lyric Theatre.
'We Do It For Love' written by Patrick Galvin has had a record breaking 10 week run at the Lyric Theatre in Blefast.
Cork born author Patrick Galvin has been living in Belfast for the past two years. After 10 weeks at the Lyric, 'We Do It For Love' is to go on tour to Britain, Dublin and Cork.
The play set to music and is based on the reaction of people to the Troubles as seen through the eyes of a man wheeling a children's merry-go-round through Belfast.
Patrick Galvin explaining why he set the story to music says that the songs that sung Belfast reflect far more than any other communication the attitude of people to the Troubles. Events that occur in Belfast are often echoed in song often paodies of popular songs. He heard a group of children singing a song in the street about the recent killing of members of the Miami Showband.
If there is a message from the play 'We Do It For Love' it is in the opening song.
If you hate the bleeding Troubles, clap your hands.
Over 15,000 people have now seen 'We Do It For Love'. Patrick Galvin says that this is the first time that the gap between the performers and audience has been broken at the Lyric Theatre. The actors are all living in Belfast and are almost acting out their own lives on stage. The audience can see experiences from their own lives on the stage.
They recognise their own lives being played out here.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 11 August 1975. The reporters are Dermot Mullane and Jim Dougal.
