Down Arts Centre Hosts Musical Tribute To Van Morrison

DOWN Arts Centre have a varied programme of entertainment planned for this weekend.xa0 C21 Theatre Company present Shakespeare’sxa0Romeo and Julietxa0on Thursday 3 October at 8pm, followed byxa0Celtic Soul, a tribute to one of Ireland’s most loved musicians, Van Morrison on Saturday 5 October at 8pm.

On Thursday 3 October, C21 Theatre Company will present a thrilling bite-size production ofxa0Shakespeare’s celebrated tale ofxa0‘A pair of star-cross’d lovers’,xa0Romeo and Juliet.xa0 This turbo-charged, pared-down version distils all the beauty, violence and tragedy of the original, with a dynamic cast bringing Shakespeare’s words to exhilarating new life.xa0 Fair Verona leaps off the page in this tale of love, hate, rebellion and heartbreak.

It has been a good year for local fans of Van Morrison, but if you missed Van the Man at Castleward you can catchxa0Celtic Soul, a tribute to the singer on Saturday 5 October at Down Arts Centre.xa0 As Van’s ‘Coney Island’ says, the band will be ‘stopping off in Downpatrick’.

The 7-piece band tribute has been receiving critical acclaim from devout Van fans wherever they perform. BBC’s Ralph McLean, a massive fan himself, has called them ‘a great band’ and ‘a very fine tribute’.xa0 With more years than they care to remember playing in blues, folk, trad and jazz bands these musicians have the ingredients to combine and deliver Van’s music authentically.

With songs like ‘Cyprus Avenue’, ‘Coney Island’, ‘Days Like This’, ‘Jackie Wilson Said’, ‘Ballerina’, ‘Have I Told you Lately’ and of course – ‘Brown Eyed Girl’,xa0Celtic Soulxa0will take you on a journey through the songbook of a musical legend.

To purchase tickets (Romeo and Juliet £10 / £8; Celtic Soul £12 / £10) and for further information on any Down Arts Centre events, please contact the box office on 028 4461 0747. The complete Down Arts Centre Season Programme is available to download at :xa0www.downartscentre.com

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