Happenstance

More Than A Flag – East Belfast bandsmen poignantly look back at WW1 as the audience see potential #BelFest

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on October 23, 2014, 9:07 am | Readers 1305

Twelve young guys who couldn’t be much older than twenty. Most with no acting experience. Some haven’t been in a theatre never mind standing on a stage. Bandsmen. Proud of their community, proud of their culture and their flag. Often derided, stereotyped, and written off. Over the last couple of months, Dan Gordon has realised a long held dream and produced More Than A Flag, a powerful piece of community arts by Happenstance Theatre that will be premièred in the …

First a pink horse, then pink sheep … and now, cycling embraced by East Belfast bandsmen and comics

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on May 7, 2014, 8:02 am | Readers 42

There’s a cycle race in town and everyone a lot of people want a piece of it. In some ways it’s surprising Gerry Adams didn’t cycle out the back gate of Antrim Police Station on Sunday evening! Perhaps his zeitgeist radar was dulled by the poor cuisine (though the Irish News this morning reveals that “arrangements were made for Mr Adams to get food from the staff canteen”). Over in East Belfast, bandsmen, politicians, and comedians [Ed – those groups …

The Boat Factory – launched in East Belfast last night

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on October 6, 2010, 11:00 am | Readers 96

The Boat Factory, play by Dan Gordon, produced by Happenstance Theatre Company

Dan Gordon’s new play The Boat Factory opened in the heart of East Belfast last night. Part drama, part documentary, it plots out the development of the shipyard in Belfast, as well as charting the social history of the shipyard workers. Produced by Happenstance Theatre Company and directed by Philip Crawford, it’s the story Davy Gordon – played by Dan Gordon and based on his father – growing up and following his brothers into Harland and Wolff as an apprentice. …