Event type: Theatre

Up Next Festival is back for it’s fifth year running and we have an incredible line-up of local artists bringing work in progress pieces to our stages.

Join us for a week of performance, workshops, networking and celebrating creativity at Unity.
The Full Festival Lineup
Wednesday 25th March

Bember | 7pm

Saint Jason | 8:3opm

Thursday 26th March

Triple Bill  Featuring: Muddle, My Little Brother Wasn’t Born to be Brainwashed & Ukpahiu | 6:30pm

PaintStripper | 8:45pm

Friday 27th March

Flying (Play reading) | 1pm

Silent Protest 2.0?? (Guided Walk) | 3:15pm

Friday Double Bill Featuring Beep Beep and Spinster | 6pm 

Friday Double Bill Featuring Compost the Cabaret and Do it yourself | 7:30pm

Friday Double Bill Featuring Thumb Ducks and My Dead Nans Box Room | 9pm

Saturday 28th March

Box of Tricks Workshop |  11am

Mother/Daughter (Reading) | 1:30pm

Silent Protest 2.0?? (Guided Walk) | 3:15pm

Brick | 4pm

Mr Chubba Chubba | 5:30pm

KNICKERBOCKER GLORY | 7pm

Talking Head Twice | 8:30pm

 

Following a busy and successful 2025 programme of events with the theme of Arrivals, Liverpool Irish Festival is delighted to share relevant new work from Derry-based theatre company Sole Purpose Productions, coming to The Unity Theatre in early 2026.

Programmed in connection with the rising in interest in Brigid’s Day, this will be the Festival’s contribution to widening the conversation about women’s experiences, continuing our programming strand centred on In:Visible Women. The Festival’s 2025 offer included the Renewing Roots exhibition, created by Fréa in collaboration with survivors of Ireland’s mother and baby homes, exploring the lingering impact of their experiences on identity and belonging. Visitors of Renewing Roots may be particularly interested in Sole Purpose Productions’ latest work, The Marian Hotel.

The performance is 120-minutes with a short interval. Please note, on Fri 6 Feb, there will be a post-show Q&A will Dr Phil Scraton, lasting until roughly 10.15pm. This will not be available on Sat 7 Feb. On Sat 7 Feb, the production will be audio described and a BSL interpreter will be present. These features will not be available on Fri 6 Feb. Please book with these factors in mind.
From the directors
It’s 1979, Kitty is pregnant. She is on her own, not by choice.

She arrives in a mother and baby home. Nothing could have prepared her for this. The young women hold each other up with sharp, dark humour against the backdrop of the war in the North of Ireland.

The Marian Hotel had a sold out tour in 2024 for 14 shows across the North of Ireland. It received standing ovations and critical acclaim. Extra shows and venues were booked due to public demand.

The play is based on Caitriona Cunningham’s lived experience of being in Marianvale mother and baby home in Newry.  It was developed over a year with dramaturg Emily DeDakis and a group of actors.  It is a searing portrayal of a dark time in Irish history with a 70s/80s soundtrack. The inquiry in the North of Ireland has begun. This play is a call to all impacted to come forward and raise their voices so that they may never again be silenced and shamed for being human. The magnificent cast will take you on a journey that is mesmerising and intensely moving.

“I left the theatre deeply moved, feeling as if a weight had lifted. The writer has given us an unforgettable gift” Mark McCollum, adoptee.
Gallery
All images are by Gav Connolly (detail only).

Reviews
“The Marian Hotel is hard-hitting, but Cunningham takes full advantage of theatre’s dimensionality to create a shared sympathetic experience between performers and audience, effectively blending humour and drama. We see beyond the headlines, and beautiful performances from the actors  impact the audience in a way a BBC Panorama special couldn’t. In particular, the introduction of one of the supporting characters, Ellen (Rachel Harley), had every member of the chatty, fidgety, post-COVID audience pale-faced and silent. For me, the standout performance amongst other excellent portrayals was Sorcha Shanahan as Jackie, a woman born to a Marianvale resident. The play shows us Jackie’s life vignetted, following her from childhood to tracking down her birth mother in adulthood. Shanahan brought sincerity and urgency to the role and her memorable performance highlighted the often-forgotten generational victims of Marianvale.”
Lucy Hughes, The Gown

“All the actors excel, so too Kitty whose incomprehension at some of the nuns’ casual cruelty speaks volumes. The scene where she confides her fear of impending childbirth is moving. Rachel Harley as Ellen, the child, the most shocking case study of all, is a study in a kind of innocence. And Roma Harvey’s Sinead, the young widow with another child on the way she can’t keep, is also outstanding.”
Jane Hardy, Belfast Times Magazine

“Stand-out performances capture the precarity of pre-liberation womanhood, the degradation of being told what’s best for you. But where the writing and stagecraft reach perfection is in the creation of ‘Jackie’ (Sorcha Shanahan), whose loving parents adopted her in circumstances which are unclear. Her arc is separated from Marianvale, in time, character, and in presentation: she appears alone for interspersed monologues. Little does she know, as she wrestles with her identity, that she is not alone in searching for answers. We all are. For we averted our eyes far too long.”
John Moriarty, The Seamus Heaney Centre  

“As the son of one of these women, I found myself moved beyond words by the nuanced portrayals. The echoes of my own family’s experience were palpable—both heart-wrenching and, in an unexpected way, healing.  The writer’s work gives voice to those who were silenced, allowing us, the children and relatives of these women, to confront our own histories with empathy and shared resilience. The production itself was brilliantly staged and directed by Patricia Byrne from Sole Purpose Productions. The minimalistic set design and haunting soundscape drew us into the confined world of The Marian Hotel, underscoring the feeling of being trapped yet yearning for freedom. The cast delivered powerful, authentic performances that brought Cunningham’s words to life without a hint of exaggeration. The Marian Hotel is more than just a play; it’s a cathartic experience, a call for acknowledgment, and a tribute to all the mothers, daughters, and children affected by this history. I left the theatre deeply moved, feeling as if a weight had lifted. The writer  has given us an unforgettable gift, one that will resonate with generations who carry the memories of Marianvale and other places like it.”
Mark McCollum, adoptee

“I have seen The Marian Hotel in Newry, Derry and Belfast and each time was moved by the excellence of Caitríona’s writing, Patricia’s direction and the cast’s brilliant performance. It has taken the hidden realities of mother and baby institutions, Magdalene Laundries and workhouses to a wide audience … I think that this tour is the beginning.”
Professor Phil Scraton, Truth Recovery Design Panel

The production is supported by Arts Council England, Culture Ireland and donations from the public. Sole Purpose is core funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Wonder Arts, in partnership with St Helens Arts In Libraries, returns with its much-loved annual celebration of storytelling — and this year, StoryFest is bigger and better than ever. Running from 14–21 February, the festival brings a vibrant programme of family shows, BSL-interpreted performances, free workshops and activities, alongside much-loved Read & Rhyme Time sessions.

Driven by a belief that magical artistic experiences can truly change lives, Wonder Arts has welcomed more than 15,000 children, families and young people to its inspiring events over the past five years.

From imaginative theatre to interactive storytelling, here are some of the family-friendly highlights from StoryFest 2026.

Last Unicorn Airways, Newton-le-Willows Library (14 February)

Join two whimsical baggage handlers as they recreate a fantastical round-the-world adventure aboard the final flight of Last Unicorn Airways, opening suitcases brimming with trinkets, fine clothes, alluring smells and exciting tales.

Adapted from Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless story, the show uses playful storytelling to remind us to see everyday life as an adventure and to cherish our world and each other. It’s a heartwarming reflection on courage, connection and resilience – perfect for families and children, including those with complex needs and disabilities.

After the show, step into a sensory immersive installation, offering a unique, interactive experience for every audience member.

A Square World, Moss Bank Library (16 February)

A Square World is a story of friends who enjoy the same routine day after day, each day is the same until an unexpected change is forced upon just one of them. This endearing and funny performance looks at the unfairness of being left out in a world designed for everyone else but yourself.

From the mind of Daryl Beeton,  A Square World is an honest, touching and bizarrely quirky piece of theatre for young audiences. This non verbal story, set to an original commissioned soundtrack uses clean-cut simple design, object manipulation and elements of surprise to create an ever evolving and imaginative world. A place where we discover anything can happen once we think differently and rip up the rule book.

Brave Bettie, Chester Lane Library (17 February)

Written by Tatenda Naomi Matsvai (Hot Orange), Brave Bettie is a lyrical and magical woodland adventure, brought to life with poetry, songs, live music and stories that explore their home heritage in Zimbabwe. This playful yet powerful production looks at resilience, self-belief, social activism and the environment, offering an urgent message for young audiences.

Co-produced by Half Moon and Z-arts, this exciting partnership unites two of the UK’s leading children’s theatre companies to create an unforgettable experience for young audiences and families. Previous co-productions include award-winning productions of Dust and Grandad Anansi.

The Quest For Planet P, Newton-le-Willows Library (18 February)

The Quest for Planet P is a brand new, rhyming story presented by Knotted Hawk Productions. Follow Ozmo and Orbi, two brave little aliens, as they set off on an amazing journey to find the perfect planet! A heartfelt and inspiring story about fighting for the planet we love and showing how even the smallest voices can have a BIG impact.

Using projection, dance and storytelling, children interact with the performers throughout the show and take part in an engaging workshop exploring belonging, friendship and our world. This fun, interactive dance theatre show is perfect for children under 10 and their grown-ups.

Storytime with Mama G, Eccleston Library (19 February)

Mama G will be sharing original stories and songs, and some of the best picture books on the market, in an uplifting story time for the whole family. There’ll be dancing and giggles galore as Storytime with Mama G shares the power of being who you want and loving who you are!

Described as ‘Everyone’s favourite pantomime dame’ by Metro, Mama G has been telling stories since 2018. In that time she has been a semi-finalist on Britain’s Got Talent, performed her show Off-Broadway, and performed at libraries, festivals, prides, museums and theatres all over the UK. Her delightfully inspiring book ‘Oh Yes I Am!’ was published in 2024.

Make Some Noise, St Helens Library at World of Glass / Thatto Heath Library (20 February)

Noise can be gentle, quiet, loud, lots of fun and full of feelings. In Make Some Noise, Dommy B shares a surprising story about growing up, finding a brilliant, but naughty, imaginary friend, becoming ‘Junk the Punk’ and joining a great school band, Whizzkid and the Veggie Burgers!

There’ll be rhymes, jokes, and lots of opportunity to make some noise in a celebration of the power of sound and friendship. There are two showtimes and venues, 11am, St Helens Library at The World of Glass and 2pm, Thatto Heath Library.

The Wizard and the Mechanic, St Helens Library at The World of Glass (21 February)

An exciting adventure for families and brave young explorers, aged 5–10! Hold onto your hats and tighten those boots, it’s time for an epic, outdoor tale of magic, mayhem, and unlikely friendship. The Wizard and the Mechanic – where friendship is the greatest spell of all!

This joyful, high-energy show is bursting with: Audience participation (you’ll wear masks and become part of the story!), original, live music and singing, puppetry, clowning and glorious silliness plus big themes like facing your fears, sharing, and finding friendship in unexpected places. So grab your gear, gather your grown-ups, and get ready for a magical-mechanical adventure like no other…