MAC Has Trick Up Its Slieve For New Christmas Show

Belfast arts venue, The MAC, in a  co-production with Cahoots NI, is an action-packed spectacular full of magic and fun for all the family.

[caption id="attachment_52861" align="alignleft" width="390"]Cast members Elaine Dubbelaar, Hugh Brown, Greg Fossard and Katy Malseed help launch the MAC’s brand new Christmas show, ‘The Family Hoffmann’s Christmas Mystery Palace’, which is an action-packed adventure full of magic and fun for all the family. Cast members Elaine Dubbelaar, Hugh Brown, Greg Fossard and Katy Malseed help launch the MAC’s brand new Christmas show, ‘The Family Hoffmann’s Christmas Mystery Palace’, which is an action-packed adventure full of magic and fun for all the family.[/caption]

The MAC, Belfast’s newest and most exciting arts venue, has teamed up with Northern Ireland’s leading children’s theatre company, Cahoots NI, to create a brand new Christmas show packed full of magic and fun for all the family. Supported by Lidl, ‘The Family Hoffmann’s Christmas Mystery Palace’ is an action-packed spectacular featuring magic tricks, illusions, live music and colour that can be enjoyed by all ages.

Created by Paul Bosco McEneaney and Conor Mitchell, The Family Hoffmann is a co-production between the MAC and Cahoots NI which debuts at the MAC on 3 December 2014 and runs until 4 January, 2015. Transporting the audience back in time to a world of wonder and weirdness, the show follows the adventures of the Family Hoffmann – and, in particular, the life of a young boy who discovers he has magical powers and begins to use them in mysterious ways.

Gillian Mitchell, Director of Programmes at the MAC, said: “The Family Hoffman’s Christmas Mystery Palace is a magical, funny family show with a warm sense of love and belonging at the heart of the story which is the perfect sentiment for this time of year. It’s another world exclusive for the MAC which will see us build on the huge success which we have enjoyed with our first two Christmas shows – both of which earned rave reviews and were enjoyed by four-year-olds and grandparents alike.

[caption id="attachment_52864" align="alignright" width="390"]The Family Hoffman. The Family Hoffman’s Chtistmas Mystery Show at the MAC. [/caption]

“We are delighted to once again team up with the fantastic Cahoots NI, a company whose stellar reputation guarantees top quality theatre performed by the best acting talent. Featuring weird and wonderful characters such as The Vanishing Boy and The Floating Lady, we have had a lot of fun in creating a show bursting with dazzling effects and show-stopping songs which will provide audiences with a truly magical Christmas experience.”

The cast includes some of the UK’s finest theatre talent, with Belfast actress Abigail McGibbon (playing ‘The Beadle’) joined by Kirsty Marie Ayers (Bess), Greg Fossard (Harold), Flo Fields (Marie), Philip Judge (Willard) and Hugh Brown (Narrator).

Paul Bosco Mc Eneaney, Director of Cahoots NI, said: “We are confident The Family Hoffmann’s Christmas Mystery Palace will be the stand-out family show in Belfast this Christmas. It’s a little bit of charm to enjoy during the festive season, with the importance of family at the heart of our message behind all the wonderful feats, curiosity, sights and sounds conjured up by our fantastic cast.

“We moved into the MAC for rehearsals at the end of October and cannot wait for the curtain to go up on that first show. We are a good fit for the MAC and had the pleasure of teaming up with them for the venue’s first ever Christmas show, ‘The Incredible Book Eating Boy’, two years ago which was a major success. We provided audiences with a sneak peek of what to expect in The Family Hoffmann with some pop-up magic shows last month and the feedback was tremendous – now audiences don’t have long to wait to see the full show.”

Caitriona McCarry, Senior Communications Manager, Lidl Ireland, added: “As a family-friendly retailer in Northern Ireland we are delighted to support the MAC Christmas show for the second year. It is family entertainment at its best and we are confident that Mums, Dads and children will thoroughly enjoy the shows.”

Tickets for The Family Hoffmann’s Christmas Mystery Palace, priced just £10 for children and £12-£22 for adults, are on sale now from:

www.themaclive.com

Family tickets are also available.

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